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The holidays loom large. Parties, gift-shopping, school programs, recitals, family gatherings — there’s really no time to cook.iOS 18.2 Release Date: Apple To Launch Its Next iPhone OS Update Next Month With Apple Intelligence Features Like Genmoji, Image Playground and More; Check DetailsWhen Kevin Towers was the San Diego Padres’ general manager, he received a voicemail delivered in a high-pitched, high-energy voice then familiar to most baseball people: “KT! It’s Rickey! Calling about Rickey! Rickey wants to play baseball!” Rickey Henderson, in 2001, became a Padre again. His combination of talents earned him sport’s honorific: Like the song (“Talkin’ Baseball”) that celebrated New York City’s three 1950s center fielders (“Willie, Mickey and the Duke”), Rickey’s first name sufficed. He came from Oakland, an incubator of athletic excellence, including basketball’s Bill Russell. He became something novel: a first-ballot Hall of Famer who played for nine teams. Without today’s arcane metrics, they recognized baseball value, including a high pain threshold, when they saw it. Baseball fans, debating the all-time best team, select three outfielders from a pantheon that includes Henry Aaron, Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Tris Speaker, Joe DiMaggio, Ted Williams, Stan Musial, Willie Mays, Frank Robinson and Roberto Clemente. Only two of those 10 should be in the starting lineup. Rickey should start in left field and bat first: He homered in the first inning a record 81 times. Baseball’s objective is to score runs. Rickey scored more than anyone: 2,295. More than Cobb (2,245), Aaron or Ruth (2,174), or Mays (2,068). When Aaron retired in 1976, he probably held the record for the most records held, but he was particularly proud of his total bases: Home runs are glorious, but the game is basically about 90-foot increments. Winning is getting enough of them. Rickey’s total bases (4,588), though more than Mantle’s (4,511), do not tell the full story. In football or basketball, an individual — a hot-handed quarterback or shooter — can take over a game. In baseball, a pitcher can dominate a game, but supposedly no batter can. Rickey could. Tie game, bottom of the ninth, he leads off. In his crouch, with a strike zone the size of a sandwich, he walks. (He walked 496 more times than he struck out. He walked leading off an inning 796 times.) He steals second. He steals third (or gets there on a ground ball to the right side of the infield). Scores on a sacrifice fly. We’ll see you tomorrow night. A college football coach, tired of hearing football called “a contact sport,” said: Dancing is a contact sport, football is a collision sport. Those who think baseball is for the delicate have never taken a 98-mph fastball to the ribs. Or done what Rickey did stealing bases. Only three players (Pete Rose, Cobb, Barry Bonds) reached base more often. No player made better use of being there than Rickey did. Mays led the National League in stolen bases four times, with a four-season total of 136, just six more than Rickey’s single-season record of 130 in 1982. His career total 1,406 steals is 468 more than Lou Brock’s second-best. He stole third — for the catcher, a shorter throw than to second — 322 times. Think of leaping from a car going about 20 mph, landing on your chest on sunbaked dirt, approximately 2,000 times over 25 seasons, well into middle age. No player absorbed more punishment in the pursuit of excellence. Bill James, the high priest of seamheads (baseball nerds fascinated by ever-more-arcane metrics), said of Rickey, “If you could split him in two, you’d have two Hall of Famers.” One for his 3,055 hits (27th all-time), one for everything else. Joe Posnanski in “The Baseball 100” says Rickey “was born on Christmas Day in 1958, in the back seat of an Oldsmobile speeding toward the hospital. ‘I was already fast,’ he said.” As an 18-year-old in Modesto, California, he stole seven in one game. He stole his last in the major leagues at 44. Because of Rickey’s eccentricities — he framed a $1 million bonus check; think about that — he was caricatured as an athletically gifted child. The cerebral Tony La Russa, who won more games than any manager not named Connie Mack, and who managed Rickey and against him, remembers him even more for “his baseball IQ” than for his legs. Rickey died the day before Dec. 21, the “shortest day,” with the least amount of sunlight, the beginning of winter. But to baseball fans, it is the beginning of the end of something awful: the offseason. Forty-five seasons ago, Rickey began playing major league baseball in a way — his wanting as well as his playing — no one else has. Will writes for The Washington Post. Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Did you know with an ad-lite subscription to Burnley Express, you get 70% fewer ads while viewing the news that matters to you. The line-up for Celebrity Cyclone has been confirmed for 2024. I’m a Celebrity is preparing for the final two days of this year’s season - and a winner will soon be crowned. Oti won the golden ticket straight through to the coveted challenge - a fan and participant favourite each year. However more places were up for grabs. Advertisement Advertisement A double elimination shocked fans and the campmates on Thursday (December 5) night - but how many of the remaining six stars survived tonight's (December 6) episode. Here’s all you need to know: Stay up-to-date with the latest UK news and culture with our free UK Today newsletter. It is one of the most iconic I’m a Celebrity challenges and a benchmark for the participants. However only a handful of stars can make it all the way to take on Celebrity Cyclone. Oti Mabuse won the golden ticket in the two part challenge spread across the episodes on Wednesday (December 4) and Thursday. After two trips to the Arcade of Agony, she won the major advantage. Advertisement Advertisement She was joined by Danny Jones, Coleen Rooney and Reverend Richard Coles. Two more celebs were sent home in yet another double elimination. The unlucky two were Alan Halsall and GK Barry. Their depatures come just before the final two episodes of I’m a Celebrity 2024 - as the top six became a top four. Find out who makes it to the final day in Saturday’s (December 7) episode. Friday’s episode started, as is tradition, with a recap of the events from the day prior, up to the double elimination of Maura and Barry. Alan had the pleasure of announcing the details of the latest Bush Tucker trial - with two celebs set to take part. Advertisement Advertisement Once again, it was up to the campmates to decide who would face the challenge. Coleen Rooney and Reverend Richard Coles volunteered. It was a trial called ‘Dreaded Dregs’ - a drinking themed challenge. They had a chance to win up to six stars, but some of the drinking games saw the two celebs facing off against each other. Starting with a game of spin the bottle, Coleen had to drink a ‘jungle drink’ - made from blended pig testicles. Who hasn’t downed one of these have a few pints? She successfully won the first star. The two celebs then went head to head, for a game of gruesome flip cup - with the celeb taking the longest having to face a forfeit. Advertisement Advertisement They got two stars for the game, but Coleen was the slowest and had to face the forfeit. Meaning she had to face the next one on her own. She had to face six shots, including blended camel teets and then horses anuses. Like a true trooper, Coleen managed to finish all of them. For the next game, it was a Bush Tucker twist on beer pong - and two stars were up for grabs. And they managed to win them both. A seventh star was then up for grabs, if Coleen and Richard could finish a dirty fishbowl drink together. If they managed it - drinks would be up for grabs for everyone back in camp that evening. Advertisement Advertisement Coleen struggled but Richard kept going and finished it all. Winning the final star - taking the total to seven: six for meals and one for drinks. After the challenge, each of the celebs were pulled out of camp for a surprise: to meet a family member or loved one for an emotional reunion. It was a piece of TV that was bound to touch the hearts of even the most curmudgeonly watchers. What do you think of the line-up for Celebrity Cyclone this year? Share your thoughts by emailing me: [email protected] .
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said star forward Vinicius Junior will be back from injury quicker than expected to face Atalanta in the Champions League on Tuesday. The Brazilian winger suffered a hamstring injury in November which was expected to keep him out until the Intercontinental Cup final on December 18. However Vinicius was able to train on Friday and Ancelotti said he would return next week, missing today’s La Liga visit to face Girona. “Vini has recovered from his injury very well, he will not be ready for tomorrow but he will be for the next Champions League game,” Ancelotti said. Vinicius’ return bolsters a Madrid side which has suffered three defeats in their opening five European matches, sitting 24th in the Champions League group table. The coach said defender David Alaba, who also trained with the team, was finding fitness after a long-term knee injury and could return in January. With Vinicius sidelined, even more focus has been cast on misfiring superstar striker Kylian Mbappe after his arrival from Paris Saint-Germain in the summer. The French forward missed penalties in defeats by Liverpool and Athletic Bilbao in the past fortnight and is struggling to find his best form, with 10 goals in his first 20 matches across all competitions. Mbappe posted on social media network Instagram to say he would “change this situation” and show his true colours. “He is conscious (of it), the post he put out after the game is that of a player who knows what he is doing and also what he can do, and will do,” said Ancelotti. “Obviously we’re with him, he’s not at his best level, but there are many players who are not at their best levels and don’t know it – he does know it.” Ancelotti said he was encouraged by Mbappe’s performances in recent La Liga matches against Getafe and Athletic. “In the last couple of games in terms of intensity he improved a lot,” said the coach, citing Mbappe’s sprinting statistics. However Ancelotti accepted resting the 25-year-old might also help him at some point. “We have to support him, but supporting him does not mean he has to play all the games. Sometimes it could be that a day of rest could be good for him.” The coach felt he himself was also being attacked too much over Madrid’s recent form, although admitted he had “to accept” some criticism. “Like stress, criticism is fuel to try and do better,” added Ancelotti. Leaders Barcelona visit Real Betis earlier today, aiming to move seven points clear of Madrid before kick-off at Montilivi. Diego Simeone’s in-form Atletico Madrid, third, welcome Sevilla on tomorrow night. Fixtures (all times GMT): Saturday: Las Palmas v Valladolid (1300), Real Betis v Barcelona (1515), Valencia v Rayo Vallecano (1730), Girona v Real Madrid (2000) Sunday : Leganes v Real Sociedad (1300), Athletic Bilbao v Villarreal (1515), Osasuna v Alaves (1730), Atletico Madrid v Sevilla (2000) Monday : Getafe v Espanyol (2000) Related Story Student-painted canvases to be showcased at Al Ghorrah festival Qatar joins Global Coalition for Digital Safety
The Bidens are back on Nantucket. Meet the restaurateur who cooked for them for decades.
Sam Darnold sensed the backside pressure as soon as he dropped back with Minnesota trailing by four points late in the fourth quarter in Seattle, so he moved into a safe space in the pocket and did precisely what the Vikings would prefer him to do with the game on the line. He threw the ball down the field to Justin Jefferson. The perfectly placed throw near the sideline beat double coverage for a 39-yard touchdown that put the Vikings back in front with 3:51 remaining in a 27-24 victory over the Seahawks on Sunday. “It was a great call,” said Jefferson, who had 10 receptions for 144 yards and two scores, all season highs. “I’m not going to say too much about that play, but something went on where me and Sam were on the same page, and he found me and we went up.” The Vikings were understandably coy about the context around the go-ahead touchdown , when Darnold made a difficult on-the-run pass just over cornerback Tariq Woolen that Jefferson deftly twisted to catch next to his backside hip so he could shield the ball from late-breaking safety Julian Love. Darnold saw Love’s shoulders initially shaded inside just enough to believe he couldn’t retreat fast enough to prevent Jefferson from getting the ball. Jefferson also applied some improvisation to his route that Darnold clearly and properly read during the play. RELATED COVERAGE Patriots coach Jerod Mayo believes narrow loss to Bills shows potential of his young team Garrett’s comments about his future add wrinkle to Browns’ worst season since 0-16 in 2017 Giants’ 10th straight loss showed once again that they need a young QB “I want those guys to have some freedom in those moments,” coach Kevin O’Connell said. “We do a lot of things with Justin and Sam, seeing the coverage and then with some route opportunities to get to at the line of scrimmage, and I think those guys have just gotten so comfortable with that stuff.” Darnold’s long-delayed breakout performance under O’Connell has been one of the stories of the NFL this season, one that wouldn’t have unfolded as neatly for the third overall pick in the 2018 draft without such synergy between him and his superstar wide receiver. If the Vikings (13-2) win their last two games, they will not only be NFC North champions for the second time in three years but also get the No. 1 seed and the lone first-round bye in the NFC for the playoffs. “Every single game we’re finding different ways to overcome adversity, overcome the different stuff defenses have thrown towards us,” Jefferson said. “Sam has done a great job being a leader.” What’s working The pass rush was strong, with Andrew Van Ginkel recording two sacks and pressure leading to both interceptions of Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith. The Vikings were credited with eight hits on Smith. What needs help The Vikings converted only three of 12 third downs, their second-worst rate of the season. Stock up Theo Jackson, who saw significant playing time at safety with Harrison Smith out, had the game-sealing interception with 49 seconds left. Stock down Tight end Josh Oliver has played 47% of the snaps the last two games, his two lowest usage rates of the season. He dropped the only pass he was thrown on Sunday. Injury report The defense ought to get a big boost this week with the expected return of the 13-year veteran Smith from his first absence in two years when he was sidelined at Seattle with a foot injury. Linebacker Ivan Pace, who has missed four games on injured reserve with a hamstring strain, is also on track to be back with his return to practice. Backup defensive lineman Jalen Redmond, who didn’t play against the Seahawks because of a concussion, has made progress through the protocol, O’Connell said. Backup cornerback Fabian Moreau, who was inactive at Seattle with a hip injury, will continue to be evaluated throughout the week. Key number 13.6% — That’s the third-down conversion allowance rate for the Vikings over the last two games, with Chicago and Seattle combining to go just 3 for 22. The Vikings rank second in the NFL in third-down defense at 33.7% for the season and also rank second on fourth down at 36.7%. Up next The Vikings host Green Bay on Sunday, with the kickoff moved to the late afternoon showcase spot on Fox. If Minnesota loses to the Packers, the Lions will clinch the NFC North and the Vikings would open the playoffs on the road as the No. 5 seed at best. Even if the Lions were to lose at San Francisco on Monday night, the Vikings would need to win at Detroit on Jan. 5 to take the division title. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
The San Francisco 49ers are preparing for their Week 14 contest against the Chicago Bears on Sunday at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California. Both teams have released their official injury reports, which are provided below. San Francisco 49ers Out LB Dre Greenlaw (Achilles), RB Jordan Mason (ankle), S George Odum (knee), T Trent Williams (ankle) Doubtful DE Nick Bosa (hip, oblique) Questionable G Aaron Banks (concussion), LB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (knee), S Talanoa Hufanga (wrist) Chicago Bears Out G Ryan Bates (concussion), S Elijah Hicks (ankle), RB Roschon Johnson (concussion) Questionable WR D.J. Moore (quadricep), RB D'Andre Swift (quadricep) Injury Notes Defensive end Nick Bosa and left tackle Trent Williams did not practice this week, leading to their respective game status designations. Bosa has missed the last two games due to oblique and hip injuries, while an ankle injury has sidelined Williams for the past two games. When asked if Bosa was able to do a little bit more this week compared to last week, head coach Kyle Shanahan said, "Yes, he did a little bit more." Left guard Aaron Banks also remained out of practice this week as he recovers from a concussion. Shanahan noted that Banks still has steps to complete before being cleared from the league's concussion protocol. Don't read too much into running back Jordan Mason being listed on the practice participation reports (as a non-participant). The 49ers still plan to place him on injured reserve ahead of Sunday's game, just as they did with Christian McCaffrey. Safety George Odum appeared on the injury report Thursday and missed the final two practices of the week. On a more positive note, cornerback Deommodore Lenoir progressed from being limited on Wednesday to participating fully on Thursday and Friday. Lenoir, who missed the Bills game with a knee injury, shared that he was close to playing on Sunday and was optimistic about his return. It's noteworthy that cornerback Charvarius Ward did not practice on Friday. However, his absence was not injury-related, and the defender was not listed on the game status report, indicating he will play on Sunday. Below are Friday's practice participation reports for both the 49ers and Bears, which were provided by the 49ers Communications staff. San Francisco 49ers Friday Practice Did Not Participate In Practice RB Jordan Mason (ankle), S George Odum (knee), T Trent Williams (ankle), DE Nick Bosa (hip, oblique), G Aaron Banks (concussion), CB Charvarius Ward (not injury related - personal matter) Limited Participation in Practice LB Dre Greenlaw (Achilles), LB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (knee), S Talanoa Hufanga (wrist) Full Participation in Practice DE Yetur Gross-Matos (knee), CB Deommodore Lenoir (knee), DT Jordan Elliott (concussion), DE Sam Okuayinonu (wrist), G Dominick Puni (shoulder), QB Brock Purdy (right shoulder) Chicago Bears Friday Practice Did Not Participate In Practice G Ryan Bates (concussion), S Elijah Hicks (ankle), RB Roschon Johnson (concussion) Limited Participation in Practice WR D.J. Moore (quadricep), RB D'Andre Swift (quadricep) Full Participation in Practice WR Keenan Allen (ankle), TE Marcedes Lewis (not injury related - resting player), S Kevin Byard (shoulder), C Coleman Shelton (knee), T Darnell Wright (knee) This article first appeared on 49ers Webzone and was syndicated with permission.The Christmas tradition has become nearly global in scope: Children from around the world track Santa Claus as he sweeps across the Earth, delivering presents and defying time. Each year, at least 100,000 kids call the North American Aerospace Defense Command to inquire about Santa’s location. Millions more follow online in nine languages , from English to Japanese. On any other night, NORAD is scanning the heavens for potential threats , such as last year’s Chinese spy balloon . But on Christmas Eve, volunteers in Colorado Springs are fielding questions like, “When is Santa coming to my house?” and, “Am I on the naughty or nice list?” “There are screams and giggles and laughter,” said Bob Sommers, 63, a civilian contractor and NORAD volunteer. Sommers often says on the call that everyone must be asleep before Santa arrives, prompting parents to say, “Do you hear what he said? We got to go to bed early.” NORAD’s annual tracking of Santa has endured since the Cold War , predating ugly sweater parties and Mariah Carey classics . The tradition continues regardless of government shutdowns, such as the one in 2018 , and this year . Here’s how it began and why the phones keep ringing. The origin story is Hollywood-esque It started with a child’s accidental phone call in 1955. The Colorado Springs newspaper printed a Sears advertisement that encouraged children to call Santa, listing a phone number. A boy called. But he reached the Continental Air Defense Command, now NORAD, a joint U.S. and Canadian effort to spot potential enemy attacks. Tensions were growing with the Soviet Union, along with anxieties about nuclear war. Air Force Col. Harry W. Shoup picked up an emergency-only “red phone” and was greeted by a tiny voice that began to recite a Christmas wish list. “He went on a little bit, and he takes a breath, then says, ‘Hey, you’re not Santa,’” Shoup told The Associated Press in 1999. Realizing an explanation would be lost on the youngster, Shoup summoned a deep, jolly voice and replied, “Ho, ho, ho! Yes, I am Santa Claus. Have you been a good boy?” Shoup said he learned from the boy’s mother that Sears mistakenly printed the top-secret number. He hung up, but the phone soon rang again with a young girl reciting her Christmas list. Fifty calls a day followed, he said. In the pre-digital age, the agency used a 60-by-80-foot (18-by-24 meters) plexiglass map of North America to track unidentified objects. A staff member jokingly drew Santa and his sleigh over the North Pole. The tradition was born. “Note to the kiddies,” began an AP story from Colorado Springs on Dec. 23, 1955. “Santa Claus Friday was assured safe passage into the United States by the Continental Air Defense Command.” In a likely reference to the Soviets, the article noted that Santa was guarded against possible attack from “those who do not believe in Christmas.” Is the origin story humbug? Some grinchy journalists have nitpicked Shoup’s story, questioning whether a misprint or a misdial prompted the boy’s call. In 2014, tech news site Gizmodo cited an International News Service story from Dec. 1, 1955, about a child’s call to Shoup. Published in the Pasadena Independent, the article said the child reversed two digits in the Sears number. “When a childish voice asked COC commander Col. Harry Shoup, if there was a Santa Claus at the North Pole, he answered much more roughly than he should — considering the season: ‘There may be a guy called Santa Claus at the North Pole, but he’s not the one I worry about coming from that direction,’” Shoup said in the brief piece. In 2015, The Atlantic magazine doubted the flood of calls to the secret line, while noting that Shoup had a flair for public relations. Phone calls aside, Shoup was indeed media savvy. In 1986, he told the Scripps Howard News Service that he recognized an opportunity when a staff member drew Santa on the glass map in 1955. A lieutenant colonel promised to have it erased. But Shoup said, “You leave it right there,” and summoned public affairs. Shoup wanted to boost morale for the troops and public alike. “Why, it made the military look good — like we’re not all a bunch of snobs who don’t care about Santa Claus,” he said. Shoup died in 2009. His children told the StoryCorps podcast in 2014 that it was a misprinted Sears ad that prompted the phone calls. “And later in life he got letters from all over the world,” said Terri Van Keuren, a daughter. “People saying ‘Thank you, Colonel, for having, you know, this sense of humor.’” A rare addition to Santa’s story NORAD’s tradition is one of the few modern additions to the centuries-old Santa story that have endured, according to Gerry Bowler, a Canadian historian who spoke to the AP in 2010. Ad campaigns or movies try to “kidnap” Santa for commercial purposes, said Bowler, who wrote “Santa Claus: A Biography.” NORAD, by contrast, takes an essential element of Santa’s story and views it through a technological lens. In a recent interview with the AP, Air Force Lt. Gen. Case Cunningham explained that NORAD radars in Alaska and Canada —- known as the northern warning system — are the first to detect Santa. He leaves the North Pole and typically heads for the international dateline in the Pacific Ocean. From there he moves west, following the night. “That’s when the satellite systems we use to track and identify targets of interest every single day start to kick in,” Cunningham said. “A probably little-known fact is that Rudolph’s nose that glows red emanates a lot of heat. And so those satellites track (Santa) through that heat source.” NORAD has an app and website, www.noradsanta.org , that will track Santa on Christmas Eve from 4 a.m. to midnight, Mountain Standard Time. People can call 1-877-HI-NORAD to ask live operators about Santa’s location from 6 a.m. to midnight, mountain time.Manchester City already know Pep Guardiola will not resign despite speculation that the Catalan coach could decide to leave amid their recent run of results. The defeat to Aston Villa is their ninth loss in 12 matches across all competitions, with a 3-0 win at the Etihad Stadium against Nottingham Forest their only victory since late October. City sit seventh in the Premier League table, 12 points off league leaders Liverpool, having played a game more, and 15 from Ipswich Town and Wolverhampton Wanderers in the relegation zone. Brentford are currently outscoring Guardiola's side. City have conceded the same number...Vicario’s injury coul force Tottenham to bring in a goalkeeper next January Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario announced on social media that he has suffered an ankle fracture and was operated upon following their defeat of Manchester City on Saturday. The Italian international also revealed that he played an hour of the game with his injury, although he failed to give a timeframe for his return to action. Ange Postecoglou will have to call upon 36-year-old second-fiddle goalie Fraser Forster. He has been used in the Europa League matches every now and then this season as well as in the cup games, but it remains to be seen if he is up for the intensity of playing in the Premier League although there is little that Spurs can do until January at least. #thfc Vicario played for 60 minutes away to Manchester City with a broken ankle pic.twitter.com/qIzNBJdW9d The Telegraph has reported that Vicario is expected to be out for months and not weeks due to the surgery and as a result, Tottenham will expedite a goalkeeper’s signing in the winter. A shot-stopper’s purchase was anyways on their radar but the board was happy to wait until the end of the season but it is fair to say that doing so would be extremely detrimental at this point in time. The source does not link any particular goalkeeper to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and not much has emerged in recent hours regarding who exactly the Lilywhites could swoop for, though it is admittedly going to be difficult to bring in a first-choice level goalkeeper in January as clubs will be very reluctant in letting go of their players midway through the campaign. For the very near future, Fraser Forster will be the favourite to feature in each of Tottenham’s 10 games that remain between now and January. He is an experienced goalkeeper having previously spent eight years on Southampton’s books but it is not remiss to admit that Postecoglou will be anxious about his backline with Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven also currently on the sidelines. This article first appeared on To The Lane And Back and was syndicated with permission.
The Washington Wizards have, predictably, been one of the worst teams in the NBA so far this season. Heading into Monday night's slate of games, the Wizards have the worst record in the league at 4-22. Of course, this means that contenders around the league will be keeping an eye on some of the team's better veteran players who could be traded if the Wizards decide to be sellers by the trade deadline. With Washington seemingly in a place where they would be ready to offload some of those players in exchange for expiring contracts or draft capital, forward Kyle Kuzma is one player to watch in a potential deal. Kuzma could have been traded last season, but he preferred to stay in Washington, D.C., and the Wizards granted that wish despite not being forced to buy anything in the 29-year-old's contract. However, that may not be the case this year, according to NBA insider Marc Stein of The... Troy Finnegan
David Njoku, Dorian Thompson-Robinson dealing with pair of concerning injuries
HOUSTON (AP) — The Astros welcomed first baseman Christian Walker to the team Monday, in one of two moves that almost certainly marks the end of Alex Bregman’s time in Houston. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * HOUSTON (AP) — The Astros welcomed first baseman Christian Walker to the team Monday, in one of two moves that almost certainly marks the end of Alex Bregman’s time in Houston. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? HOUSTON (AP) — The Astros welcomed first baseman Christian Walker to the team Monday, in one of two moves that almost certainly marks the end of Alex Bregman’s time in Houston. Walker signed a $60 million, three-year contract that will pay him $20 million annually just more than a week after the Astros acquired infielder Isaac Paredes from Cubs in the trade that sent outfielder Kyle Tucker to Chicago. “The way I view it right now is Paredes is going to play third base and Walker is going to play first base,” general manager Dana Brown said Monday. “And Bregman’s still a free agent.” The Astros had hoped to re-sign Bregman, the team’s third baseman for the last nine seasons, but Brown said the negotiations stalled. “I thought we made a really competitive offer, showing that we wanted him back,” he said. “But we had to pursue other options. We couldn’t just sit there. We locked in Paredes early in that trade, knowing that he could play third or first and then when the opportunity to add another bat came up we just jumped on it.” The addition of a first baseman was a priority this offseason for the Astros after they released struggling first baseman José Abreu less than halfway through a $58.5 million, three-year contract. “We knew we had to get better at first base,” Brown said. “We pursued (Walker) and we’re excited to have him because we know that we’re going to have a really good first baseman that can defend and also hit the ball on the seats from time to time.” Walked was attracted by the sustained success of the Astros, who won their first two World Series titles in 2017 and ’22. “I’ve been watching this team for a while now, and that edge, the energy, the expectation, you can tell that they’re going out there with a standard,” he said. “And I’m very excited to be a part of it.” Walker is looking forward playing on an infield with star second baseman Jose Altuve. He’s fascinated by the success and consistency Altuve has had over his 14-year career. “I get a chance to learn from Jose Altuve,” Walker said. “Nothing really gets better than that.” Brown was asked what he would tell fans disappointed to see the Astros lose another star after George Springer and Carlos Correa left as free agents in recent years. “I would just tell the fans that look, we are very focused on remaining competitive,” he said. “We’re very focused on winning division and going back to the World Series, and I think with these additions that we have the ability to do that. So, I feel strongly that we’re going to be picked to win the division first off. And if our pitching holds up, which I feel strongly about, as well, I think we’ll get deep into the postseason.” The Astros won the AL West for a fourth straight year this season before being swept by the Tigers in an AL Wild Card Series. Walker, who turns 34 during the opening week of the season, hit .251 with 26 homers, 84 RBIs, 55 walks and 133 strikeouts this year. That was down from 2023, when he batted .258 with 33 homers and 103 RBIs as the Diamondbacks reached the World Series. Walker played in 130 games this year, down from 157 in 2023 and 160 in 2022. He was sidelined between July 29 and Sept. 3 by a strained left oblique. He spent the last eight seasons with the Diamondbacks, where he hit 146 homers with 442 RBIs and a .251 batting average. He didn’t secure a full-time job in the big leagues until 2019. He’s provided consistent power over the past six seasons and has grown into an elite defensive first baseman, winning Gold Gloves in each of the past three seasons. Walker played college ball at South Carolina and was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in 2012. He made his big league debut with the Orioles in 2014 but couldn’t stick in the majors and was claimed off waivers by Atlanta, Cincinnati and Arizona in a five-week span. Walker’s contract has a limited no-trade provision allowing him to block deals to six teams without his consent. He would earn $200,000 for winning an MVP, $175,000 for second, $150,000 for third, $125,000 for fourth and $100,000 for fifth. Walker also would get $100,000 for World Series MVP, $50,000 for League Championship Series MVP and $75,000 apiece for making the All-Star Game or winning a Gold Glove or Silver Slugger Award. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Infielder Grae Kessinger was designated for assignment to open a roster spot. ___ AP Baseball Writer Ronald Blum contributed to this report. ___ AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb Advertisement AdvertisementIn a move to boost access to healthcare, a non-governmental organisation, Adebiyi Habib Foundation, has renovated the Children’s Ward of Ifo General Hospital in Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State. The facility upgrade, the foundation said, was in line with its commitment to create a conducive environment for patients to receive better healthcare and improve healthcare workers’ productivity. Speaking at the commissioning on Thursday, the Ifo General Hospital’s Chief Medical Director, Soetan Olufemi, who praised the foundation for its intervention, said the children’s ward facelift would drive productivity. “The initiative will have a positive impact on the dignity and wellbeing of our staff members saddled with taking care of the children. Even our patients, particularly the children, will want to stay more because the place now looks like home away from home and our staff members will also be able to do their job better,” Olufemi, who was represented by Dr. Adetutu Ogunnubi, said. The CMD noted that more of such intervention is needed for the facility to meet growing demand for adequate health care accessibility. “We need more of this as facelift and upgrades of our facilities will ensure greater access to healthcare for the people of Ogun State. Some of these impediments are why we do refer emergencies to FMC Abeokuta and patients do accuse us of negligence but some of them don’t know we don’t have the capacity to take on some of these emergencies,” the medical director said. Olufemi, however, appealed to AHF and other well-meaning Nigerians, particularly in Ogun, to contribute their quota in ensuring greater access to healthcare provision. Related News Ogun recommits to entrepreneurship, doles out N1m grants to youths Police arrest suspected ritualist in Ogun Ogun empowers 15, 000 artisans, traders with entrepreneurial skills Speaking earlier, the AHF Founder, Adebiyi Habib, said the intervention was in line with goal 3 of the Sustainable Development Goals which the organisation has keyed into to drive its transformative agenda in the health sector. According to him, as an organisation with brilliant minds, we are determined to take our place at the forefront of the fight against inequality in the health sector particularly in underserved communities. He said, “To achieve this onerous objective, it became imperative that we must at all times collaboratively work towards ensuring everyone has access to essential healthcare services, increase the number of healthcare professionals in underserved areas without financial hardship and improve their skills to address specific health needs and provision of community-based health services, such as mobile health clinics, to increase access to healthcare. “Looking ahead, we aim to intensify more efforts in closing the gap in the inequality in our health sector particularly in the underserved communities by advocating for more standard and equipped medical facilities. We hope to provide free health insurance for some inhabitants of some of these underserved communities.” Listing the organisation’s interventions in other areas, Habib, who is a legal practitioner, said, “In our efforts to contribute the foundation’s quota towards the development of our communities, we have executed many projects in areas of health and education in Ogun State. On April 27th, 2024, we executed a free medical outreach with the distribution of free drugs in six communities of Yewa North Local Government such as Joga Orile, Imashayi, Iboro, Sunwa, Iju, Ibeshe, etc with over 400 beneficiaries. “In the past years, we have led tech-driven social change by integrating ICT, advocacy, and education, reaching over 50,000 individuals with digital literacy training in the last 9 years. To put in perspective, as an organisation, our mission to leverage technology for societal progress remained strong, with initiatives aligning with key Sustainable Development Goals. Goal 3,4,8.” The intervention at the Ifo General Hospital saw the children’s ward wearing a new look, bedding, mattresses, and ceiling fans. Others to be added include a television set and children’s toys.None
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El Salvador Congress votes to end ban on metal mining
TikTok has edged closer to a potential ban in the United States after losing a legal bid to overturn legislation targeting the app’s Chinese ownership. On Friday, the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit upheld a law requiring TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, to sell the platform to a non-Chinese owner or face a nationwide ban starting January 19, 2025. According to CNN, TikTok had argued that the legislation infringed on free speech and equal protection rights, but the court ruled that the law neither violates the First Amendment nor the Fifth Amendment of the US Constitution. The ruling grants Congress the authority to act on national security concerns regarding TikTok’s ties to China. The court stated, “Congress and multiple Presidents determined that divesting (TikTok) from the (People’s Republic of China’s) control is essential to protect our national security.” TikTok has, however, announced plans to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court. The company spokesperson, Michael Hughes said, “The Supreme Court has an established historical record of protecting Americans’ right to free speech, and we expect they will do just that on this important constitutional issue. “Unfortunately, the TikTok ban was conceived and pushed through based upon inaccurate, flawed and hypothetical information, resulting in outright censorship of the American people. The TikTok ban, unless stopped, will silence the voices of over 170 million Americans here in the US and around the world on January 19th, 2025.” ByteDance has repeatedly insisted it will not sell TikTok. If the company fails to comply with the law, US app stores and internet service providers could face heavy penalties for hosting the app. President Joe Biden signed the legislation in April, citing fears that ByteDance could share user data with the Chinese government or use TikTok’s algorithm to influence American users. TikTok’s lawsuit, filed in May, argued that the law unfairly targeted the platform and its creators. While the court recognised TikTok’s role in facilitating free expression, it ultimately supported Congress’s narrowly focused approach. The judges said the law addresses the specific issue of China’s potential control over TikTok and does not suppress user-generated content. Emarketer analyst Jasmine Enberg called the decision a “major setback” for TikTok but noted that an appeal to the Supreme Court could alter its fate. She stated, “If the ban is enforced, it would cause major upheaval in the social landscape, benefitting Meta, YouTube, and Snap while hurting content creators and small businesses that rely on the app.” Get real-time news updates from Tribune Online! Follow us on WhatsApp for breaking news, exclusive stories and interviews, and much more. Join our WhatsApp Channel now
MALAGA, Spain (AP) — The last man to face — and beat — Rafael Nadal in professional tennis, 80th-ranked Botic van de Zandschulp , converted his 10th match point Friday to finally close out a 6-4, 6-7 (12), 6-3 victory over Daniel Altmaier and help the Netherlands reach its first Davis Cup final by sweeping Germany. Tallon Griekspoor, who is ranked 40th, sealed the 2-0 win for the Dutch in the best-of-three-match semifinal by hitting 25 aces and coming back to defeat Jan-Lennard Struff 6-7 (4), 7-5, 6-4. When it ended, appropriately, on an ace, Griekspoor shut his eyes, dropped to his knees and spread his arms wide. “We have been talking about this for two, three years,” Griekspoor said. “We believed in ourselves so much. We always felt like this was possible. To do it now feels unbelievable.” The other semifinal is Saturday, with No. 1-ranked Jannik Sinner and defending champion Italy taking on Australia . The championship will be decided Sunday. “We don’t have that top 5 player. We don’t that top 10 player. We don’t have that top 15 player,” Dutch captain Paul Harhuuis said. “But it’s a team effort. ... So proud of these guys.” In Friday's opener, van de Zandschulp was up a set and just a point away from leading 5-2 in the second when Altmaier began playing more aggressively and interacting more with the German fans, yelling and throwing uppercuts or raising his arms after key points. In the tiebreaker, Altmaier managed to save five match points before converting his own fourth set point to extend the contest. But van de Zandschulp — who upset four-time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz at the U.S. Open — quickly moved out front in the final set, even if he eventually needed five more match points in the last game before serving it out. “At some point, I didn’t know what to do any more on the match points,” van de Zandschulp said. “I had the toughest match of my life on Tuesday (against Nadal), so everything that comes next is maybe a little bit easier.” In the quarterfinals, van de Zandschulp outplayed Nadal for a 6-4, 6-4 result that marked the end of the 22-time Grand Slam champion’s career because the Netherlands went on to eliminate Spain 2-1. The 38-year-old Nadal announced last month that the Davis Cup would be his final event before retiring. Presumably because people purchased tickets ahead of time with plans to watch Nadal compete in the semifinals, there were hundreds of unoccupied blue or gray seats surrounding the indoor hard court at the Palacio de Deportes Jose Maria Martina Carpena in southern Spain on Friday. Now truly a neutral site, the place was not nearly as loud and rowdy as on Tuesday, although there were shouts of “Vamos, Rafa!” that drew laughter while van de Zandschulp played the 88th-ranked Altmaier. It took Griekspoor more than 75 minutes and nearly two full sets to figure out how to break No. 43 Struff and then did it twice in a row — to lead 6-5 in the second set, and then go up 1-0 in the third. That was plenty, because Griekspoor saved the only two break points he faced. The Netherlands hadn’t been to the semifinals since 2001. The Germans — whose best current player, two-time major finalist Alexander Zverev, is not on the team in Malaga — have won three Davis Cups, but not since 1993, when 1991 Wimbledon champion Michael Stich led them to the title. AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennisPep Guardiola: If I can’t reverse Manchester City slide then I have to go
El Salvador Congress votes to end ban on metal mining
Ademola Lookman was named Man of the Match after and felt ‘pride, because we showed we can compete’ against the best. La Dea refused to give in against the reigning Champions League holders, as when trailing 3-1 in Bergamo to goals from Kylian Mbappé, Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham, the Charles De Ketelaere penalty and Lookman strike kept them in it. Mateo Retegui had the chance to equalise with the last kick of the game, firing over the bar from Lookman’s roll across. “Tough game, they took their chances when they had them. We knew what type of game it would be, we were unlucky, but we have our heads held high,” and UEFA.com after he was named Man of the Match by UEFA. “We are disappointed with the result because we felt we could have done more, but there is also pride. We showed that we can compete against a team full of champions. Of course, there were moments when we could have done better, but I believe that today we stood up to Real, and this is important for our growth.” This was certainly an improvement over the encounter from August 14 that saw “We created chances, there are a lot of positives to take from the performance, but also a lot of things we can learn. It’s another great step for us today, we showed quality in moments and can learn a lot from today,” added Lookman. The fans continued to cheer and applaud their players even after the final whistle, well aware that this remains an extraordinary period for the club. Atalanta are still in a good position to continue in the Champions League on 11 points and are top of the Serie A table. “We mustn’t be too down, we’re in the Champions League, doing well in Serie A and we’ve got to keep going.”NEW YORK, Dec. 10, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WHY: New York, N.Y., December 10, 2024. Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, announces the filing of a class action lawsuit on behalf of purchasers of securities, including call options, of Five9, Inc. (NASDAQ: FIVN) between June 4, 2024 and August 8, 2024, both dates inclusive (the “Class Period”). A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than February 3, 2025. SO WHAT: If you purchased Five9 securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Five9 class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=32046 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than February 3, 2025. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company at the time. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs’ Bar. Many of the firm’s attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers. DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, during the Class Period, defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Five9’s net new business was not “strong irrespective of the macro” and was, in fact, hampered by macroeconomic issues such as constrained and scrutinized customer budgets; (2) Five9 was in the midst of a challenging bookings quarter due, in part, to sales execution and efficiency issues, and Five9 was not “seeing very strong bookings momentum”; and (3) defendants did not have “enough information in terms of [their] existing customers that are going live” such that the statements that Five9 would see a positive inflection in its dollar-based retention rate lacked a reasonable basis. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages. To join the Five9 class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=32046 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor’s ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff. Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm , on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/ . Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Contact Information: Laurence Rosen, Esq. Phillip Kim, Esq. The Rosen Law Firm, P.A. 275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor New York, NY 10016 Tel: (212) 686-1060 Toll Free: (866) 767-3653 Fax: (212) 202-3827 case@rosenlegal.com www.rosenlegal.com