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Column: Chicago Cubs hope to rebound from Seiya Suzuki’s gaffe with time running out in the wild-card race

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:51:11 GMT

It was merely a coincidence the song “Loser” played over the speakers in the visitors clubhouse at Truist Park on Wednesday afternoon, a day after the Chicago Cubs’ heartbreaking loss to the Atlanta Braves.Someone just liked the catchy ′90s song and put it on the playlist.The Cubs had no choice but to pick up the pieces from a game lost Tuesday night after Seiya Suzuki’s gaffe in right field, a moment that conjured up one of the greatest examples of the so-called Cubs curse — Brant Brown’s dropped fly ball during the final days of the 1998 wild-card chase.But they fell apart at the seams for a second straight night, blowing leads in the eighth, ninth and 10th innings in a heartbreaking 6-5, 10-inning loss. Ozzie Albies’ run-scoring single off Daniel Palencia was the fatal blow. Cubs President Jed Hoyer pointed out before the game there was no curse in Boston or with the Cubs, and he was under the impression fans had moved past ...

As the Chicago Cubs move on from devastating loss, their worn-down bullpen and lack of depth loom large

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:51:11 GMT

Seiya Suzuki is notoriously hard on himself.Whether he hits a home run or produces an 0-fer — and anything in between — Suzuki often expresses self-critiques and the high standard he holds himself to.So it was fair to wonder, shortly after he miscalculated a fly ball which resulted in a two-run error for the decisive play in Tuesday’s crushing loss at Truist Park, how Suzuki would handle the situation. He vowed postgame to not dwell on the moment and let it carry into Wednesday, saying doing so would ruin the Chicago Cubs’ positive vibe for their final five regular-season games.President of baseball operations Jed Hoyer was among the people who checked on Suzuki postgame Tuesday and offered words of encouragement.“He’s apologetic, which is exactly what I would expect. He felt terrible and I thought his teammates handled it really well,” Hoyer said Wednesday. “Drew (Smyly’s) comments were perfect. … Obviously emotio...

Republican debate live updates: Boisterous rivals brawl over China, economy, border

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:51:11 GMT

Republican presidential candidates jumped quickly to make an impression from the start of the second debate Wednesday in Simi Valley, Calif., talking over and taking jabs at one another through the evening.The debate started less than an hour after the 2024 front-runner headlined an event in Michigan.Seven candidates, all polling well behind former President Trump, met the Republican National Committee criteria to participate: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, conservative entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, former Vice President Mike Pence, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum.Trump, meanwhile, again did not join the debate. Instead, he headlined an event of autoworkers near Detroit, amid the ongoing United Auto Workers (UAW) strike against Ford, General Motors and Stellantis.Find out how to watch the debate here.And follow along here through the night fo...

Hollywood actors to resume negotiations with studios next week, as protracted writers strike ends

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:51:11 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — With the Hollywood writers strike over, actors will now get a shot at cutting their own deal with studios and streaming services.The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Radio and Television Artists announced Wednesday night that strike negotiations with studios would resume Monday. The guild said several studio executives will attend, much as they did during marathon sessions last week that helped bring the nearly five-month writers strike to an end.Monday is the same day that network late-night hosts will return to the air. Bill Maher led the charge back to work by announcing early Wednesday that his HBO show “Real Time with Bill Maher” would be back on the air Friday. By mid-morning, the hosts of NBC’s “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” and “Late Night with Seth Meyers,” ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” and “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” on CBS had announced they’d also return, all by Monday. “Last Week Tonight” with John Oliver was slated to ret...

Blue Jays shutout as Yankees expose potential playoff flaws

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:51:11 GMT

What a service the New York Yankees have provided for the post-season clubs that may run into the Toronto Blue Jays, should they get there as expected, during the past week.Sure, not every team can run out two starters the calibre of Michael King and the clear American League Cy Young favourite in Gerrit Cole, who punctuated his brilliant year with a two-hit shutout.But there’s lots from their outings for, say, the scouting staff and analytics department of the Minnesota Twins to pull from as they gameplan how Sonny Gray and Pablo Lopez might attack the Blue Jays. And while there are no secrets between the Blue Jays and the Tampa Bay Rays, the latter is always on the hunt for any little edge to deploy with the likes of Tyler Glasnow and Zach Eflin.So, as much as Wednesday night’s 6-0 loss was an immediate setback that again pushed back their clinching of a post-season berth, it was also a portent of things to come, both this weekend when the Rays arrive to close out the regular seas...

Gang violence in Haiti is escalating and spreading with a significant increase in killings, UN says

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:51:11 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Gang violence in Haiti is escalating and spreading from the capital Port-au-Prince through the center of the country to its two other major cities, Gonaives and Cap-Hatien, with a significant increase in killings, kidnappings and rapes in the past few months, the U.N. chief said in a report circulated Wednesday.Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in the new report to the U.N. Security Council that 2,728 intentional killings were recorded between October 2022 and June 2023 including 247 women, 58 boys and 20 girls.The continuing rise in homicides is attributed to the emergence of a vigilante movement, known as “Bwa Kale,” in the capital in April which has gone after the gangs, he said. The U.N. chief also reported an increase in kidnappings for ransom during that time with 1,472 reported, though he said the actual number is almost certainly higher because families often do not report missing members to authorities out of fear for the victims’ safety.Gang mem...

Teen testifies about boy’s death and firearms training at New Mexico compound

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:51:11 GMT

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — With his hand placed on his son’s neck, Siraj Ibn Wahhaj recited verses of the Quran as part of a ritual meant to rid the toddler of evil spirits that Wahhaj and members of his extended family believed were causing the boy’s ailments. The ritual known as ruqyah had been done countless times on the boy. But this time was different. It ended with the child foaming from the mouth until he stopped breathing. He had gone without needed medication after being taken without his mother’s permission.There were no calls to 911 or attempts to rush him to the nearest hospital. Nor was he given any medication that December day in 2017 at a remote desert encampment in northern New Mexico. Details about the last moments of Abdul-Ghani Wahhaj’s life were laid out in testimony Wednesday in the case of the boy’s father and three other family members, including two of his aunts. They are facing kidnapping or terrorism charges, or both, that stem from an...

Two restaurants added to Toronto’s Michelin Star Guide for 2023

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:51:11 GMT

Two Toronto restaurants have been added to the Michelin Star Guide for 2023.Kappo Sato and Restaurant 20 Victoria join a list of 13 other restaurants who have received at least one-star from the famously anonymous Guide inspectors. Yorkville’s Sushi Masaki Saito, which charges $680 per person for its omakase dinner, is the only two star restaurant in the Guide. The remaining 12 restaurants – Aburi Hana, Alo, Alobar Yorkville, Don Alfonso 1890 Toronto, Edulis, Enigma Yorkville, Frilu, Kaiseki Yu-zen Hashimoto, Osteria Giulia, Quetzal, Shoushin, and Yukashi – all retained the single stars they earned a year ago. Four new restaurants joined 17 others with Bib Gourmand designations, which recognizes eateries for great food at a great value: BB’s, Sunnys Chinese, Tiflisi and White Lily Diner.Frilu and White Lily Diner also earned the city’s first Michelin Green Stars in recognition for their leadership in sustainable gastronomy.Seven restaurants were added to the Guide...

Trading of shares of heavily indebted property developer China Evergrande suspended in Hong Kong

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:51:11 GMT

HONG KONG (AP) — Share trading of heavily indebted Chinese property developer China Evergrande Group was suspended in Hong Kong on Thursday, according to a notice on the Hong Kong stock exchange.The suspension comes after Bloomberg News reported that the chairman of Evergrande, Hui Ka Yan, had been taken away earlier this month and placed under police watch according to people with knowledge of the matter. Shares of Evergrande closed at 32 Hong Kong cents on Wednesday. The company had resumed trading on Aug. 28 after a 17-month hiatus.Evergrande is the world’s most heavily indebted real estate developer and is at the center of a property market crisis that is dragging on China’s economic growth.Last week, Evergrande said in a filing that it had to delay a proposed debt restructuring meeting with creditors as “sales of the group have not been as expected by the company.”The group is undergoing a restructuring plan, including offloading assets, to avoid defaulting on $340 billion in d...

Suburban English teacher helps students grow through writing, seeking truth

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:51:11 GMT

LANSING, Ill. — School is back in session and our first teacher of the month is an English teacher and the newspaper advisor at a south suburban high school.Students say Christopher Jones brings an encouraging presence to the classroom helping them grow through writing, reading and seeking truth.Jones is the first to tell you, he’s not a man of many spoken words.“I never thought I had it in me to be a teacher because I don’t like speaking in public,” he said.But written words? That’s another story. His background in writing and a desire to give back brought him to Thornton Fractional South High School in Lansing.“I always tell my students in my classes that every little thing you do — newspaper, yearbook, chess — might be an opening to a job,” he said.And he says he wants them to know if he can do it, so can they.“I was a very average student and if I made it, that there’s opportunity for them,” he said.He’s now is his 16TH year as an English teacher and an advisor for the student n...