Ford issued a recall of close to 2 million cars over problems in the vehicles’ rearview cameras that increase the risk of a crash, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
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Ford Issues Recall Over Rearview Camera Errors
USA should smash Brazil in Friday’s World Baseball Classic opener, but Americans not the championship pick
The 2026 World Baseball Classic is underway, with the United States the last top contender to take the field as it faces Brazil on Friday in Pool B action from Daikin Park in Houston. Let’s break down what you might expect from the Americans and recommend a few futures wagers. Team USA is -4.5 on the run line with a huge total of 14.5 for the 8 p.m. ET first pitch.
Even though the U.S. has arguably the best left-hander in MLB in Detroit’s Tarik Skubal, the two-time reigning AL Cy Young Award winner, and the best right-hander in Pittsburgh’s Paul Skenes, the 2025 NL Cy Young winner, manager Mark DeRosa is opting for Giants ace righty Logan Webb in Friday’s opener. He has looked good in two Cactus League outings spanning five innings, with seven strikeouts, zero walks, a 1.80 ERA and 0.40 WHIP.
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No MLB team truly wants its stars competing in the WBC for fear of injury; remember, then-Mets star closer Edwin Diaz suffered a season-ending injury while celebrating a win with his Puerto Rico teammates at the 2023 version. So DeRosa has to juggle how long his starting pitchers will go (not long), how stretched out they will be, their MLB team’s wishes, etc.
Skubal will pitch only in the second game and return to Tigers camp in Florida; I don’t blame him for being cautious as a pending free agent and looking at $400 million next winter. I’d expect a max of 55 pitches for Webb and any starter in pool play. He and Skenes have said they will stick around with the USA for the duration, so they should pitch again.
“There’s obviously guardrails for the tournament … pitch count-wise, but there’s also guardrails for guys having to throw on certain days to get ready for their team’s Opening Day,” DeRosa said this week.
As for the lineup, it is stacked. Bobby Witt Jr., Kyle Schwarber, Paul Goldschmidt and Will Smith are the lone position players returning from the 2023 squad that memorably lost in the final to Japan when Shohei Ohtani struck out then-Angels-teammate Mike Trout to secure victory. The general consensus of the ideal 2026 Team USA lineup looks something like this:
- SS Bobby Witt Jr. (R)
- 1B Bryce Harper (L)
- RF Aaron Judge (R)
- DH Kyle Schwarber (L)
- 3B Alex Bregman (R)
- C Cal Raleigh (S)
- LF Roman Anthony (L)
- CF Byron Buxton (R)
- 2B Brice Turang (L)
That lineup has combined for 26 All-Star selections and five MVP Awards. Judge, the three-time AL MVP, is the +800 favorite to win MVP of this event. Japan’s Shohei Ohtani is next at +1000 and then four more United States guys.
Team USA is a -800 favorite to win Pool B and should finish ahead of Mexico, Italy, Brazil and Great Britain – though we’d be the underdogs if that were a men’s World Cup group. Mexico likely has the second-most talent in the group and is the +600 second-favorite. I like USA first/Mexico second exact finish at -170.
That our Pool B is the winning pool of the tournament is the -115 favorite, but that’s solely on the United States, the -110 event favorite. The USA’s lone title came in 2017, when it beat Puerto Rico in the final. The Dominican Republic opened in 2023 as the favorite ahead of the U.S. (+275) and winner Japan (+300).
I actually like the DR this year at +400 as that lineup is even scarier than Team USA’s, with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Juan Soto sharing the shortest tournament MVP odds among Dominicans at +2500.
Brazil, which took a silver medal at the 2023 Pan American Games, makes its second appearance in the WBC after 2013, and it was unable to win a game then but did push Japan in one. The country earned the final spot this year by capturing a winner-take-all qualifier in March 2025 in Arizona. The clincher was a dramatic 6-4 win over Germany in the final.
There are no active MLB players on the Brazil roster — the nation has produced only five major-league players all-time, with the best-known being longtime catcher Yan Gomes.
Big-ticket offseason Mets signing Bo Bichette would have been eligible to play for Brazil, but his new team basically put the kibosh on that for health reasons and because he will be learning a new full-time position of third base in Queens. Three players on the roster are sons of former MLB players in Dante Bichette Jr. (also Bo’s brother), Joseph Contreras (José Contreras) and Lucas Ramirez (Manny Ramirez).
The 17-year-old Contreras, the youngest player in the tournament, is a right-handed pitcher from a Georgia high school and might be a first- or second-round pick in the 2026 MLB Draft but has committed to college baseball power Vanderbilt. Ramirez is wearing No. 24 for Brazil in honor of Manny but hits lefty, while pops was one of the great right-handed hitters in MLB history.
Probably Brazil’s most-feared hitter is 35-year-old Leonardo Reginatto, who played on the 2013 WBC team. He hit a career-high 16 homers in 2025 playing in the Mexican League. Reginatto spent 10 years in the MLB minor leagues, including four in Triple-A, but never reached the majors. Right-handed pitcher Eric Pardinho ranked among the Top 100 prospects in MLB in 2019 but never made it. Not clear who Brazil’s starting pitcher is tonight, but does it really matter?
I lean the Under 14.5 tonight simply as I’m sure the Brazilians start whomever their top guy is, and it will be a parade of relievers on both sides. All those big U.S. arms should keep Brazil fairly in check, so perhaps something like 10-3.
Kosovo president moves to dissolve Parliament for early election as country plunges into new crisis
PRISTINA, Kosovo — PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP) — Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani on Friday said she was dissolving Parliament to pave the way for an early election after lawmakers failed to elect her successor.
The development marks a new crisis in the Balkan country that already went through a snap vote in December after a nearly yearlong political deadlock.
Kosovo’s assembly had a deadline of midnight Thursday to elect a new president to replace Osmani, who took office in 2021. A vote late on Thursday failed due to a lack of a quorum in the 120-member assembly.
Prime Minister Albin Kurti has blamed the failure on the opposition’s boycott of the session. His ruling Ventevedosje, or Self-Determination, party has asked the Constitutional Court to temporarily suspend the deadline for the process to resume.
It was not immediately clear when the court will rule and whether it could affect Osmani’s decision to dissolve the Parliament.
Osmani said in an address Friday that the situation was “completely avoidable” and lawmakers had enough time to choose a president.
“It is a great misfortune for this state that they did not choose the interests of the Republic of Kosovo,” Osmani said. “I have issued the decree for the dissolution of the assembly, and through this decree I am fulfilling the constitutional obligation that is clearly defined.”
Vetevedosje swept the early vote in December and made an alliance with ethnic minority groups to form a new government in February.
The same party won an election in February 2025 but could not muster a parliamentary majority, which led to a stalemate and snap vote in December.
A former Serbian province, Kosovo declared independence in 2008 following a 1998-99 war that ended after a U.S.-led NATO intervention. Serbia does not recognize the split and tensions have simmered ever since.
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Jovana Gec contributed from Belgrade, Serbia.
Albuquerque City Council to consider gross receipts tax increase
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Albuquerque residents could be paying more for purchases made in the city. Two city councilors are proposing an increase in the sales tax to fund new development projects and raise pay for city staff. When going shopping, eating out, or making any purchase in the city of Albuquerque, people typically pay a gross […]
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AARON STAINTHORPE To Perform MY DYING BRIDE Material With DEAD SPACE CHAMBER MUSIC In Bristol
Aaron Stainthorpe, the (formerly) iconic voice behind My Dying Bride, is set to perform a special one-off UK event, revisiting My Dying Bride material in a unique chamber music setting with Dead Space Chamber Music. The performance will take place on September 19, 2026, at the breathtaking St Thomas the Martyr Church in Bristol, as part of Dark Alchemy VII.
This marks the only UK performance of MDB songs currently scheduled for Stainthorpe, making it a must-see event for fans of the band’s seminal doom metal catalog. Joining Stainthorpe are a range of accomplished musicians, including:
- T.G. Edwards – modular synth
- Eldermother – harp and vocals
- Rob George – guitar
- Michalina Rudawska – cello
The event will also feature unique collaborations between the artists, providing a reinterpretation of My Dying Bride‘s haunting material in a chamber music context.
“Join us as we return to the stunning setting of St Thomas the Martyr, Bristol,” the organizers state. Tickets and additional information are available via the official ticket page here.
This event follows My Dying Bride‘s announcement in 2025 that Stainthorpe had parted ways with the band: “Please understand that this decision does not come lightly… Our collective decision to move forward without him is not something we thought we would ever be forced to say, but to ensure a continued legacy for what we hold dear to our hearts, we simply have to move past this.
“Whilst change can be difficult, we are doing our best to bring this new chapter forward with powerful positivity… We do genuinely wish Aaron all the luck in the world in his new solo endeavours.”
While MDB have been performing live with Mikko Kotamäki and potentially working on new material, this performance allows Stainthorpe to revisit his legacy with the band in a singular, atmospheric, and intimate setting .
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The Iran War Is Hitting Gulf Markets, Lifting Israel and Shifting Risk Across the Region
The conflict has upended long-held assumptions in Gulf markets, pushing investors to factor in new dangers.
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Sources: Bears to release veteran linebacker Tremaine Edmunds
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Courtney Cronin
Multiple Authors
The Chicago Bears are releasing veteran linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Thursday.
The move creates $15 million in cap space for the Bears days ahead of free agency.
Edmunds, 27, was set to enter the final season of the four-year, $72 million contract he signed as a free agent in 2023. Chicago granted Edmunds permission to seek a trade on Feb. 25, a source confirmed to ESPN, or be at risk of becoming a cap casualty.
Edmunds’ contract carries a $13.9 million base salary for 2026 with a $1 million roster bonus due on the fifth day of the league year. His cap hit is $17.9 million.
“This is a unique situation where we’ve gotten our roster in a position where we have a lot of talented players, a lot of guys getting paid well, and that puts some constraints on the cap,” general manager Ryan Poles said at the NFL combine when asked about Edmunds’ future. “So we got to make some tough decisions. And, you know, like I said, when we win games, you create these relationships. There’s leadership guys or guys that were captains that mean a lot to our organization. But when you’re kind of put in a corner, that’s what league’s been and has been.”
Edmunds led the Bears with 112 tackles last season to go along with nine passes defensed, four interceptions, one sack and a fumble recovery despite missing four games with a groin injury. He also tallied 13 tackles in Chicago’s two playoff games.
The Bears’ busy week continued Thursday night after the team sent wide receiver DJ Moore and a fifth-round pick to the Buffalo Bills for a 2026 second-rounder. That move came on the heels of center Drew Dalman’s surprise retirement Wednesday. The three moves create an estimated $44 million in cap space for the Bears.
2026 labor market set to begin taking shape with February jobs report
Economists hoping for a better understanding of the U.S. job market are keeping their expectations in check.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics is set to announce February job numbers Friday, with the monthly data release predicted to show tepid growth due in part to a major strike in the health care industry.
The U.S. jobs market remains muddled. A surprisingly strong January report offered some optimism that hiring had picked up, but that data also showed that U.S. job growth in 2025 was far lower than previously thought.
“We do not expect to learn much new about the state of the labor market with February employment data,” economists at Citigroup said.
The U.S. economy at large has remained a mixed bag, in part due to a variety of headwinds that have included a government shutdown and a lack of clarity over the Trump administration’s tariff agenda.
On Wednesday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the administration’s tariff plans were on the verge of changing again. Bessent said Trump was expected to raise global tariffs to 15% this week, up from the 10% he recently introduced after the Supreme Court struck down most of the previous tariffs.
An underwhelming report on economic growth in February — the Commerce Department showed that the output of goods and services (gross domestic product) grew at only a 1.4% annual rate in the last quarter of 2025 — has added to concerns.
And while unemployment has remained reasonably low (it touched 4.3% last month) hiring has been slow, leaving experts to use words like “frozen” and “stagnant” to describe the labor market.
February’s jobs report is expected to show more of the same. Consensus expectations are that the U.S. added 50,000 jobs last month.
Bank of America analysts expect to see 35,000 jobs were added, a low number due in part to the 31,000 health care workers who went on strike at Kaiser Permanente. That strike has since ended, but could still influence the overall numbers.
There are also some questions over whether January’s strong showing could have been due in part to favorable weather and how the Bureau of Labor Statistics modeled its data. Michael Feroli, chief U.S. economist at J.P. Morgan, said Friday’s report could also show a downward revision of last month’s numbers.
Citigroup’s economists are also keep expectations in check, writing in a recent note: “We continue to suspect that recently stronger jobs data reflects familiar seasonal patterns and not a true stabilization or improvement in demand for workers.”
If jobless claims don’t increase in coming weeks and jobs reports through April or May don’t show a further slowing, then “that would be a more meaningful sign that hiring has actually started to improve again,” they said.
However, that is not Citi’s base case. “We expect familiar patterns to result in the unemployment rate rising to around 4.7% later in the year,” they wrote.
Friday’s jobs report will also arrive just as consumers are hit with fresh economic uncertainty.
On Saturday, the U.S. and Israel began striking Iran, leading to severe shipping disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, where more than 20% of the world’s oil supply needs to pass through to reach the global market.
In the days since, U.S. oil prices have risen 20% and retail gas prices have risen more than 30 cents for consumers, raising fresh fears of renewed inflation.
“The surge in oil prices has started to bring back memories of 2022 when oil prices went above $100/barrel amid quickly accelerating inflation,” said Carsten Brzeski, the global head of macro at ING Research.
“The global economy is once again witnessing a crucial moment,” he said, “one that not only has significant short-term implications, but also holds the potential to further aggravate ongoing seismic shifts in the wider geopolitical landscape.”
ING expects U.S. inflation “to move back above 3% this year, squeezing consumer spending power.”
Charges yet to be filed after gun found at Mitchell Elementary
Charges have yet to be filed nearly one week after a 10-year-old student was found with a loaded firearm at Mitchell Elementary School.A fourth grade student was found to bring the weapon to campus in a backpack on Friday, Feb. 27. The firearm was found hidden in the nurse’s office.Some in the community have voiced their concerns and called for charges to be filed against the gun owner. One law cited is Bennie’s Law, which passed in 2023 and requires safe firearm storage in New Mexico.The law was named after Bennie Hargrove, who was killed in a shooting by his classmate at Washington Middle School in 2021.University of New Mexico professor Joshua Kastenberg explains why the law was passed three years ago and the purpose it serves.”I think the law is important for reinforcing the idea that gun owners, have special responsibilities to safeguard deadly weapons,” Kastenberg said.An Albuquerque Public Schools spokesperson sent KOAT a statement, which reads, “The Albuquerque Public Schools Police Department is handling. It’s my understanding that the investigation remains active.”The Bernalillo County District Attorney’s Office stated the case has not forwarded on to its staff as of Thursday, March 5.A total of 26 states, along with the District of Columbia, have enacted laws for secure storage of firearms.Action 7 News On The Go: Download our app for free
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. —
Charges have yet to be filed nearly one week after a 10-year-old student was found with a loaded firearm at Mitchell Elementary School.
A fourth grade student was found to bring the weapon to campus in a backpack on Friday, Feb. 27. The firearm was found hidden in the nurse’s office.
Some in the community have voiced their concerns and called for charges to be filed against the gun owner. One law cited is Bennie’s Law, which passed in 2023 and requires safe firearm storage in New Mexico.
The law was named after Bennie Hargrove, who was killed in a shooting by his classmate at Washington Middle School in 2021.
University of New Mexico professor Joshua Kastenberg explains why the law was passed three years ago and the purpose it serves.
“I think the law is important for reinforcing the idea that gun owners, have special responsibilities to safeguard deadly weapons,” Kastenberg said.
An Albuquerque Public Schools spokesperson sent KOAT a statement, which reads, “The Albuquerque Public Schools Police Department is handling. It’s my understanding that the investigation remains active.”
The Bernalillo County District Attorney’s Office stated the case has not forwarded on to its staff as of Thursday, March 5.
A total of 26 states, along with the District of Columbia, have enacted laws for secure storage of firearms.
Action 7 News On The Go: Download our app for free
Kelsea Ballerini’s Ex Chase Stokes Appears To Slam Her Ex-Husband
It’d appear that Kelsea Ballerini’s ex-boyfriend Chase Stokes has a major issue with her ex-husband Morgan Evans.
Or, he’s really upset with radio and podcast host Bobby Bones.
The actor left an angry insult in the comments of a video Bones shared to social media. He was promoting his interview with Evans and within one minute he grabbed a screenshot. Good thing, because Stokes deleted the comment pretty quickly.
Then, Bones went to TikTok to defend Evans and himself.
Why Did Chase Stokes Leave An Angry Comment On a Video About Bobby Bones and Morgan Evans?
- Kelsea Ballerini and Morgan Evans were married from 2017 to 2022.
- She started to date Chase Stokes in 2023 and they broke up earlier this year.
- Both Ballerini and Evans have released songs inspired by the end of their relationship.
On the surface, Stokes’ comment seems wildly unprovoked but — as is often the case with celebrity breakups — there could be more to the story.
Related: Country Music’s Current Feuds and Beefs [Updated]
What Did Morgan Evans Say About Chase Stokes?
Evans appeared on a recent episode of the Bobbycast, Bones’ Netflix podcast. During a wide ranging interview that touched on his new album, ayahuasca use and his new girlfriend Laci Kaye Booth, the Australian said he was surprised when Ballerini told him she wanted a divorce in 2022. He also says he spent a long time afterward in a dark mental space.
None of this was all that new (aside from the ayahuasca) and nothing said was mean-spirited or insulting to Ballerini. Stokes is not mentioned.
What Did Chase Stokes Say About Morgan Evans?
It’s not clear which social media post Stokes responded to, but earlier this week, Bones did share a clip of Evans talking about being surprised to hear Ballerini wanted a divorce. There are also two more on his Instagram, one about ayahuasca and one about Keith Urban.
“This is about the most pathetic excuse of masculinity ive (sic) ever seen. Get a f—ing life,” Stokes allegedly says in the comments.
On Wednesday Bones took to social media to respond, suggesting Stokes may be insecure about his own masculinity.
Ballerini has not commented on the ugly back and forth. In fact she seems pleasantly unplugged, sharing photos from vacations and a game night at home on her social pages as the two most recent men in her life quibble.
Evans new Steel Town album drops March 20.
18 Shocking Country Celebrity Breakups
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Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes
Country Music’s 50 Best Breakup Songs
When your heart is hurting, country music has the right song for you. Check out the best country breakup songs of all time, from Kenny Chesney, Randy Travis, Dolly Parton, Keith Urban and more.