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Patriots rookie Marte Mapu making strong first impression, showcasing versatility: ‘I feel comfortable anywhere’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:40:50 GMT

FOXBORO — Marte Mapu’s welcome to the NFL moment came during the spring.When Mapu, the Patriots’ third round draft pick in April, arrived to OTAs in Foxboro, Bill Belichick’s operation caught him by some surprise.“They were just more detailed than I expected,” Mapu said. “But that I also expected, too, if that makes sense.”Mapu has seemed to take that sudden realization to heart, because he’s making it his mission during training camp to be as prepared and ready for any role as possible.The 23-year-old Mapu is listed as a linebacker, but even at 230 pounds, has the ability to play in the secondary. He has been an early star in training camp, taking some first-team reps at linebacker even while wearing a red non-contact jersey as he recovers from a torn pectoral muscle. He’s taken reps at third-team safety, too. Mapu takes serious pride in that versatility. He doesn’t know where he might fit in to this Patriots defense when the lights turn on, but he wants to make sure he’s ready for...

Saudi Arabia extends cut of 1 million barrels of oil a day, potentially boosting prices at the pump

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:40:50 GMT

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Saudi Arabia said Thursday it will extend its unilateral production cut of 1 million barrels of oil a day through the end of September in its effort to boost flagging energy prices, a move that could push U.S. gas prices higher.The Saudi reduction, which began in July, comes as the other OPEC+ producers have agreed to extend earlier production cuts through next year.The national average for U.S. gas prices stood at about $3.82 a gallon on Tuesday — about 30 cents higher than a month ago, according to motor club AAA. While today’s prices at the pump remain far lower than they were last year, when energy costs soared worldwide in the months following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, experts say such a jump is unusual.This year’s record-breaking summer heat has also had an impact, driving up demand for air conditioning and forcing refineries to operate at reduced capacity.The kingdom announced the extension in a statement on...

Ask the Pediatrician: What is single-sided deafness in children?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:40:50 GMT

Diya Kallam and Dr. Brian K. Reilly | (TNS) American Academy of PediatricsSingle-sided deafness (SSD) is a hearing impairment that affects at least one in every 1,000 babies born. These infants have severe-to-profound hearing loss in one ear with normal or near-normal hearing in the other ear. The condition can also develop in older children and adults.If your child shows symptoms of single-sided deafness, sometimes called unilateral hearing loss, talk with their doctor right away. Hearing impairment can make it difficult for children to learn languages and speech. But prompt treatment can help avoid problems.Symptoms of single-sided deafness to know:— Tinnitus (ringing) in one ear— Selective use of phone in only the hearing ear— Head turning to hear the source of a sound— Difficulty hearing in noisy environments— Auditory fatigue from the extra effort that listening requires with hearing impairmentEarly diagnosis and treatment for hearing impairment is key.If any symptoms of single...

Tractor trailer slams into home in Bellingham, driver in critical condition

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:40:50 GMT

A driver of a tractor trailer that slammed into a home in Bellingham Thursday morning is in critical condition, according to authorities.Emergency responders responded to multiple calls of a tractor trailer into a home at 107 Hartford Ave., around 9:30 a.m. After arriving at the scene, police and fire found the truck carrying construction machinery crashed through the backside of the Cape Cod style home, Bellingham Fire Chief William Miller told reporters before noon.First responders removed the driver from inside the trailer and rushed him to UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester, where he is listed in critical condition. A dog that had been on the truck is OK, Miller said.Preliminary findings indicated that the driver had been traveling east into Bellingham on Hartford Avenue, a main road in the Norfolk County town, Miller said. The truck then veered off the street and crossed a side street before colliding into the home at 107 Hartford Ave.The home was vacant at the time of ...

Too much summer fruit? Let Julia Child come to the rescue

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:40:50 GMT

The bounty of summer fruit presents me with a dilemma — maybe it does for you, too. I anticipate the bite of my first peach of the season, as the juice rolls down my chin, but I overestimate how much fruit I will actually eat. In the store the blueberries look so good — big and sweet, I think to myself as I buy the big container. Now I am stuck with having to eat those berries every day or they will get old and moldy.For the next few days while I eat the blueberries, the peaches wait patiently on the counter. The bruised spots (that I didn’t notice at the store) are quietly starting to turn brown and moldy before they are even completely ripe. They need to be eaten, too.Photo by Claudia AlexanderWhen you’re stuck with too much summer fruit, make a pie or galette.Luckily, I have a solution for this predicament: pie or galette. Maybe like me, you don’t enjoy the jellied texture of many fruit pie fillings. It’s created by the pectin added to keep the pie filling from running right out ...

2 US Navy sailors arrested on charges tied to national security and China

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:40:50 GMT

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Two U.S. Navy sailors have been arrested on charges related to national security and tied to China, U.S. officials said Thursday.A 22-year-old sailor assigned to a ship in San Diego was arrested Wednesday on a charge related to espionage involving conspiracy to send national defense information to Chinese officials, according to the U.S. officials, who were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.Another sailor was arrested at Naval Base Ventura County north of Los Angeles and charged with conspiracy and receipt of a bribe from a Chinese official, the U.S. officials said. It was unclear if the two cases were related. The U.S. Justice Department declined to comment when contacted by The Associated Press. Federal officials were expected to release more details at a press conference scheduled in San Diego later Thursday. ____Baldor reported from Washington.

These vehicles are stolen most often in California

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:40:50 GMT

(NEXSTAR) – More than 700,000 vehicles are stolen in any given year, but not all cars are equal targets. The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) analyzed federal crime data to determine which cars and trucks were most frequently reported stolen in 2022. They found two pickups took the top spots nationwide. In California, the most frequently stolen vehicle was the full-size Chevrolet pickup truck, followed by the Honda Civic sedan.Here are the top ten most stolen vehicles in California in 2022, according to the NICB:Chevrolet pickup (full size)Honda CivicFord pickup (full size)Honda AccordHyundai SonataKia OptimaGMC pickup (full size)Honda CR-VToyota CamryChevrolet TahoeStolen vehicle trends in California matched those seen nationwide, with nine of the top ten vehicles appearing on each list.Nationally, the most frequently stolen vehicle was also the full-size Chevrolet pickup truck, followed by full-size Ford pickups, according to the NICB analysis. All National Parks will be f...

Beloved chicken pie eatery in North Park celebrates anniversary with delicious deal

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:40:50 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- Famous in the community for its chicken and turkey stuffed pot pies that come smothered in gravy, the San Diego Chicken Pie Shop is celebrating its 85th year in business with a delicious deal for its customers. This eatery first opened in 1938 and was originally located on Fifth Avenue downtown. It later moved locations to Robinson Avenue in Hillcrest before finding its current home at 2633 El Cajon Blvd. in North Park. Sam the Cooking Guy hosting free popup cookout in Little Italy It's become an annual tradition for the establishment to celebrate its anniversary by offering deals for both dine-in and take-out Chicken Pie Dinners. This meal comes with a pot pie blend of chicken, turkey and gravy served with whipped potatoes, daily vegetable, coleslaw, a pie shop roll, and dessert."Once a year, giving a promotion to our customers symbolizes how grateful we are to still be the fourth oldest restaurant in San Diego and how we appreciate the amazing support over the decad...

Trump is en route to Washington to face charges he tried to overturn the 2020 presidential election

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:40:50 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump headed to Washington on Thursday to answer to charges that he worked to overturn the 2020 presidential election, with the former president set to appear in a federal courthouse mere blocks from the U.S. Capitol building that his supporters stormed to try to block the peaceful transfer of power.Trump departed from his Bedminster, New Jersey, golf club after 1 p.m. to be flown by private plane to Washington. In what’s become a familiar but nonetheless stunning ritual, he will be processed by law enforcement and enter a not guilty plea in front of a judge. He’s expected to then be released as the case proceeds, enabling him to rejoin the campaign trail as he seeks to reclaim the White House in 2024.An indictment Tuesday from Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith charges Trump with four felony counts related to his efforts to undo his presidential election loss in the run-up to the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol, including conspiracy...

The Islamic State group says its leader was killed by militants in Syria and names his successor

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:40:50 GMT

BEIRUT (AP) — The Islamic State group announced on Thursday the death in Syria of its little-known leader, Abu al-Hussein al-Husseini al-Qurayshi, who headed the extremist organization since November, and named his successor.The group did not say when al-Qurayshi was killed but added that he died in fighting with an al-Qaida-linked group. IS spokesman Abu Huthaifa al-Ansari said that Abu Hafs al-Hashemi al-Qurayshi was named as the group’s new leader.Al-Qurayshi was the fourth IS leader to be killed since the group was founded by Iraqi militant Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and declared a caliphate in large parts of Syria and Iraq in June 2014 before its defeat years later.The spokesman, al-Ansari, said in an audio message that al-Qurayshi “was martyred” in rebel-held northwestern Syria by members of Syria’s al-Qaida-linked Hayat Tahrir al-Sham when they tried to detain him in the province of Idlib. “He fought them until he succumbed to his wounds,” al-Ansari said of al-Qurayshi, addin...