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Defending champion Argentina starts as favorite when South American World Cup qualifying kicks off

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:34:00 GMT

BUENOS AIRES (AP) — Lionel Messi and his Argentina lineup will be back on World Cup duty this week, when their bid to defend the title starts in South American qualifying.Argentina will face Moisés Caicedo’s Ecuador on Thursday at the Monumental de Nuñez Stadium in its first official match since winning the World cup in December.The last time a World Cup winner played in South American qualifying was in 2003, when Brazil had to secure its spot in a tournament with 32 teams.The 2026 edition in the United States, Mexico and Canada is expanding to a 48-team format, which means the number of direct spots from South America increases from four to six and the seventh-place team goes into an intercontinental playoff for another place.So teams like Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay are almost sure to advance from the round-robin qualification tournament that runs until September 2025. The new format has led many top coaches and players to see the tournament as preparation and an opportunity for...

TVO strike highlights the scourge of contract work in public service journalism

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:34:00 GMT

Nicole Cohen, University of Toronto ListenWorkers at TVO are on strike for the first time in the public broadcaster’s 53-year history.Amid the din of traffic outside TVO’s offices in Toronto, unionized journalists, producers and education workers hold picket signs declaring: “Fund TVO Like it Matters.”TVO’s contract with the union, a branch of the Canadian Media Guild, expired in October. After months of negotiations, workers are striking to improve wages and to address precarious employment.The union says that workers have received below-inflation wage increases since 2012, including zero increases between 2012-2014.I spoke to a producer who has worked at TVO’s flagship current affairs show, The Agenda, for 22 years and earns $74,000.Wages shrinkingIn a video posted to social media, digital journalist Daniel Kitts, who has worked at TVO for 25 years, says: “For the past 10 years we have tried to… support this organization by seeing our wages shrink basically every year thanks to in...

Longmont couple says their cat was abducted, shot, and dumped in river

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:34:00 GMT

LONGMONT, Colo. (KDVR) -- A Longmont couple says their beloved cat was abducted, shot and killed, then dumped in a nearby river.Holly Mathews said late last month their cat Basil's Global Positioning System tracking collar showed that the 2-year-old feline had been picked up and was being driven away. West Metro Fire warns of extreme fire risk Holly and Travis jumped in their car to try and follow Basil's quickly-changing location.The cat's final signal came from St. Vrain Greenway.“Later we found out, after they shot her, they threw her over the bridge and into the river,” said Mathews.Longmont Police are investigating. The family has also hired a private investigator. The family has set up a GoFundMe page. The couple brought their "adventure cats" Basil and Parsley to Longmont from Norway. The cats even have their own Instagram page.“Basil really defied what cats do. She hiked, she biked, she loved camping with me. We truly lived the Norwegian life in that sense,” Mathews s...

CPW rescues bull moose tangled in hammock in Steamboat Springs

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:34:00 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- Colorado Parks and Wildlife said officers rescued a young bull moose that was tangled in a hammock Monday.The moose got its antlers tangled in a hammock in a yard in the downtown area of Steamboat Springs.CPW said officers used a tranquilizer to sedate the moose so they could get him untangled from the hammock.Once the moose was untangled and woke up, CPW said he went on his way."This is a good reminder if you're not using your hammock, volleyball net, or anything similar an animal could get its antlers caught in to take it down," a CPW spokesperson said.CPW said this is especially important during this time of the year as male moose begin rubbing newly formed antlers on things like trees to shed the velvet.

Suspect accused of fatally stabbing brother at home in Pembroke Pines taken into custody

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:34:00 GMT

A suspect accused of killing his brother at their South Florida home was taken into custody.Pembroke Pines Police arrived at the home, located at 311 SW 71st Ave., Monday morning.According to police, the suspect, 61-year-old Donald Dubray, stabbed his brother, 63-year-old brother Edgar Dubray, to death. When officers arrived at the home, they found Donald sleeping inside.Residents in the area didn’t want to go on camera, but were shocked to wake up or come home to crime scene tape that blocked the road and multiple crime scene units that lined Southwest 71st Avenue.“I woke up this morning, cops everywhere,” said a neighbor. “This neighborhood is quiet, nothing ever goes on, nothing ever happens around here.Neighbors in the area told 7News that someone in the area became concerned and called police to conduct a welfare check. They also said that two brothers have lived at that home since they were children. “My neighbor called the police and had them jus...

Jason Taylor Foundation celebrates 19 years assisting 60 middle school students

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:34:00 GMT

A great moment for the kids as the 19th year of The Jason Taylor Foundation helped 60 deserving middle schoolers go back to school shopping. Jaelen Phillips was on hand to help shop as well as same with Emmanuel Ogbah Raheem Moestert and 7News’ Meteorologist Vivian Gonzalez. It was a memorable event for all and a great cause.

Manhole fire prompts power outage in South Boston

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:34:00 GMT

A manhole fire in South Boston drew an emergency response and knocked out power for area energy customers Monday night. The incident happened near the intersection of H Street and East Fourth Street and sent smoke billowing into the air at one point. Crews were on scene as of around 11 p.m. Firefighters at the scene said an underground electrical issue was likely to blame. As crews continued to work, several nearby buildings were visibly in the dark with no lights on. As of 11 p.m., Eversource in its online outage map documented 372 customers impacted by an outage that began around 10 p.m. close to the site of the manhole fire. This is a developing story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest updates.

Woman killed by Coaster train; investigation underway

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:34:00 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- A woman was hit and killed by a Coaster train Monday in the Bay Park neighborhood, authorities said. The crash occurred around 3:31 p.m. near the intersection of Morena Blvd. and Asher St., Sgt. Jason King with the San Diego County Sheriff's Department said in a news release.When officers arrived on scene, they found a woman who was hit by a northbound Coaster train, according to law enforcement. The woman was pronounced dead at the scene due to her injuries. Deadly crash prompts SR-67 closure near Ramona The identity of the woman has not been released at this time pending the autopsy from the San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office.An investigation is underway. If anyone has information about the case, they can call the sheriff's department's non-emergency line at (858) 565-5200.

4 alleged gunmen have been killed in a clash with security forces in Mexican border city

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:34:00 GMT

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Four people were killed Monday in a shootout with Mexican marines in the border city of Matamoros, triggering an alert to shelter in place from the U.S. consulate in the city across the Rio Grande from Brownsville, Texas.The Tamaulipas state communications office said via X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, that the clash occurred during an operation related to the investigation of a kidnapping. It said four civilians were killed. Authorities recovered guns and radios. No marines were injured.The Navy confirmed that its personnel were involved, but did not provide any details.The federal Attorney General’s Office did not respond to a request for information.On Monday morning, the U.S. Consulate in Matamoros issued an alert via X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, that employees were under a shelter in place order until 1:30 p.m. “due to gun violence occurring in the city.”In March, four Americans were abducted in Matamoros when one went for a schedule...

Taiwan’s President Tsai begins visit to remaining ally Eswatini in southern Africa

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:34:00 GMT

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen on Tuesday began a four-day trip to Eswatini, one of the island’s 13 remaining allies.Tsai, who is serving her last year as president, is visiting the country of 1.1 million people in southern Africa to “celebrate the friendship between the two countries,” she said, as she departed Taiwan.Since Tsai took office in 2016, China has started putting pressure on countries that have a diplomatic relationship with Taiwan to switch their formal recognition from Taiwan to China. Beijing has successfully poached 9 countries, leaving Taiwan with just 13 countries that acknowledge its statehood.Taiwan’s most recent diplomatic loss was Hondura s, which switched recognition to Beijing in March. Taiwan is a self-ruled island claimed by China. The two sides have been at odds since 1949 when the Communist Party won in the civil war against the Nationalists. The Nationalists fled to Taiwan and set up government on the island. China tod...