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Ticker: Bud Light to return as UFC’s official beer; Apple hiking fees on streaming plans

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:08 GMT

Bud Light is set to return as the official beer of the UFC in the U.S. next year as the brand tries to recover from a conservative backlash to a promotion with a transgender influencer.Under a new multiyear marketing deal between the promoter of mixed martial arts fights and Bud Light maker Anheuser-Busch, the brewer will become the UFC’s “Official Beer Partner” in the U.S. starting Jan. 1, the two companies announced.Outside the U.S., AB InBev, the parent of Anheuser-Busch, will be UFC’s official global partner.Financial details of the deal were not disclosed — but, citing a person familiar with the matter, Bloomberg reported that the global agreement marks the UFC’s largest sponsorship ever, surpassing a $175 million fight-kit deal signed with Crypto.com back in 2021.This isn’t the first time the UFC and the beer brand have paired up. Anheuser-Busch and Bud Light were UFC’s original beer sponsors more than 15 years ago, UFC CEO Dana White ...

Red Sox announce hire of Craig Breslow as chief baseball officer

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:08 GMT

Less than a day after news broke that Craig Breslow would be the guy, the Red Sox made it official.The Red Sox announced Wednesday afternoon that Craig Breslow has been hired as chief baseball officer, handing the keys to the former left-handed pitcher who helped lead the club to a World Series championship in 2013.Breslow will succeed Chaim Bloom, who was fired in mid-September after nearly four years on the job.A 12-year big league veteran, Breslow has emerged as a rising star in the front office world, making a quick impression since joining the Chicago Cubs front office in 2019. Breslow has played an integral role in turning around the Cubs’ pitching development program, rising from director of strategic initiatives to his most recent role as assistant general manager/senior vice president of pitching.The Red Sox hope he’ll be able to get similar results, both in terms of building the major league club back towards contention and ending the organization’s recen...

Bruins notebook: Undefeated Bruins (6-0) still have a lot to prove

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:08 GMT

Bruins fans can be forgiven if they’re not terribly moved by the Bruins’ record-tying start to the season. The 2022-23 B’s broke all sorts of regular season records, of course, and never lived to see the month of May.But the B’s 6-0 start this year, which tied them with the 1937-38 team for the franchise record for best start to a season, is remarkable in that the half dozen performances have all been quite noticeably flawed in one way or another, yet they’ve still managed to come out on top, all in regulation no less.Yes, the B’s have gotten very good goaltending from Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman. But they haven’t had to steal games, only hold the fort for a period or so before their teammates got their act together.And yes, the B’s competition has been pretty light. But let’s not forget that the Blackhawks, whom the B’s have beaten twice, went into Toronto and beat the Maple Leafs and the Predators, whom the B’s...

Source: Patriots re-signing Malik Cunningham to practice squad

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:08 GMT

The Patriots are re-signing quarterback/wide receiver Malik Cunningham to their practice squad, according to a source.Cunningham was waived by the Patriots on Tuesday. He cleared waivers Wednesday at 4 p.m. before agreeing to rejoin the practice squad.Head coach Bill Belichick said Wednesday morning that the Patriots planned to bring Cunningham back to the practice squad as long as another team didn’t claim him. Belichick said waiving Cunningham on Tuesday was what was “best for the team.”Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | Celtics’ Jayson Tatum discusses relationship with Tom Brady: ‘Tom is the best’ New England Patriots | Patriots receive encouraging news at Wednesday practice before Dolphins game New England Patriots | Mac Jones discloses ‘word of the week’ for Patriots after big win over Bills New England Patriots | Bill Belichick divulges Patriots’ future plans fo...

Murder warrant issued for missing Gardner man after wife found shot dead

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:08 GMT

A murder warrant has been issued for Aaron Pennington, the missing Gardner man wanted after police responded to the family’s home Sunday and found his wife dead after being shot in the face.Worcester District Attorney Joseph D. Early said the court issued the warrant three days after police began the search for Pennington who was previously sought in connection with his wife, Breanne Pennington’s death.Police responded to the couple’s Cherry Street home in Gardner Sunday morning after their four children went to a neighbor’s house. Upon arrival, police found Breanne Pennington, 30, dead.The four children are in state custody. Police recovered three bullet casings at the scene, but not gun, according to court documents.A massive search for Aaron Pennington began Sunday and has continued since.A bow hunter spotted Aaron Pennnington’s 2013 white BMW 320 Monday in the vicinity of Camp Collier, a Boy Scout camp in Gardner.Early’s office filed for the murder warrant, which was granted by ...

Celtics’ Jayson Tatum discusses relationship with Tom Brady: ‘Tom is the best’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:08 GMT

NEW YORK — With a day off in New York on Tuesday before Wednesday’s season opener against the Knicks, Celtics star Jayson Tatum joined a couple of other sports stars for a special surprise.Tatum teamed up with Patriots legend Tom Brady and Yankees star Aaron Judge to surprise nine children with critical illnesses through a new partnership between Fanatics and the Make-A-Wish Foundation.“It was great being around the kids who obviously were facing challenges in life but fighting to overcome those to be with their friends and families and brothers and sisters,” Tatum said. “To see the reaction on their faces when we came out on the court and played basketball and threw footballs around with them, just got to hang out with them. It was priceless.”For Tatum, it was also another opportunity to interact with Brady and continue to develop a growing relationship with him. He said he first met Brady when he was still playing for the Patriots, and they occasionally communicate with each other...

After an uneasy time in San Diego, Bob Melvin is coming home to San Francisco as Giants manager

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:08 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — At least once every time Bob Melvin visited San Francisco as a visiting manager, he allowed himself to believe that maybe someday, he would wear a Giants uniform again.Running the bleachers before games, Melvin would glance out at iconic McCovey Cove. Before the team locked up the 60-foot Coca-Cola slide beyond left field, he used to take good-luck, head-first plunges, too.On Wednesday, after buttoning up his new No. 6 Giants jersey as the franchise's 39th manager, Melvin called it “surreal” that this moment was actually happening. After 20 years as a big league manager — including a recent, turbulent end to his time managing the rival San Diego Padres — the soon-to-be 62 year old is coming home. “I think probably every series I would look in that dugout and look over to the other side and say, ‘Maybe someday, hopefully,’” Melvin said. “There were always times here, I can admit that now, that I was hoping at some point in time I'd come back.”The Giants are count...

House back in action after Mike Johnson clinches Speakership: Live coverage

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:08 GMT

Republicans overwhelmingly backed Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.)'s bid for House Speaker on Wednesday, ending a chaotic, 22-day stretch without an elected leader in the chamber.Johnson secured 220 votes, compared to 209 for House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.).The fourth Speaker candidate in three weeks, Johnson won the conference's nomination on Tuesday night.Johnson, 51, has been the House GOP’s vice chairman, a junior leadership position, since 2021. He is also a former chairman of the Republican Study Committee, the largest conservative caucus in the House. Follow along here for live updates.

Driver pleads guilty over 2021 crash that killed two University of B.C. students

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:08 GMT

VANCOUVER — The BC Prosecution Service says a Vancouver man accused in the dangerous driving deaths of two University of British Columbia students has pleaded guilty. Dan McLaughlin, a spokesman with the prosecution service, says Tim Goerner pleaded guilty to two counts of dangerous driving causing death earlier this month. The service says a sentencing hearing will be held for Goerner on Nov. 6. The man was originally accused of impaired driving causing death and other charges in September 2022, in relation to the deaths of Evan Smith and Emily Selwood, both 18, who were struck and killed by a vehicle that veered onto a sidewalk near the university’s Point Grey campus. At the time, the RCMP said the students had been walking just before 2 a.m. on Sept. 26, 2021. Mounties from Richmond and the university detachment investigated for nearly a year before charging Goerner, now aged 23.This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 25, 2023. The Canadian Press

India eases a visa ban a month after Canada alleged its involvement in a Sikh separatist’s killing

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:08 GMT

NEW DELHI (AP) — India on Wednesday announced an easing of its visa ban on Canadian nationals imposed more than a month ago after Canada alleged that India was involved in the assassination of a Sikh separatist in Canada.India announced that it will resume services for entry, business, medical and conference visas starting Thursday, according to a press release issued by the Indian High Commission in Ottawa. Emergency services will continue to be handled by the Indian High Commission and the consulates in Toronto and Vancouver, it said.Wednesday’s announcement could ease tensions between the two countries.A diplomatic spat erupted between them after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said last month that there were “credible allegations” of Indian involvement in the killing of Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar in suburban Vancouver in western Canada. Nijjar was a 45-year-old Sikh activist and plumber who was killed by masked gunmen in June in Surrey, outside Vancouver. For ...