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Column: Would the Chicago Cubs be in the playoff hunt had they re-signed Javier Báez?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:00 GMT

When the Chicago Cubs dealt Javier Báez to the New York Mets during the great summer sell-off of 2021, many fans hoped they’d bring him back as a free agent that offseason.While President Jed Hoyer reportedly spoke with Báez’s agent about a return, the Cubs had no intention of paying the kind of money the Detroit Tigers did when they reeled him in with a six-year, $140 million deal.As Báez faced his old team Monday at Comerica Park, the Cubs were in the middle of a playoff hunt while the Tigers remained in their usual mode — perpetually rebuilding. The Cubs took the first game of the series, 7-6.So would the Cubs be in the same place had Hoyer re-signed Báez?The obvious answer is “no chance.”Báez’s .592 OPS going into Monday’s game was second-worst in the majors among qualified hitters, ahead of only White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson (.568). He’s hit a combined .231 with a .637 OPS in his two seasons in Detroit,...

Two years after catching COVID, patients still risk getting sick

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:00 GMT

Jason Gale | (TNS) Bloomberg NewsThe risk of new disease, disability and death remains elevated in some patients as long as two years after catching COVID-19, according to a large study showing the infection’s prolonged heath impact.People who were never sick enough to be hospitalized for acute COVID still had a higher risk than uninfected people of developing long COVID-related disorders such as dangerous blood clots, diabetes and lung, gastrointestinal and musculoskeletal disease two years later, according to the study published Monday in the journal Nature Medicine.Some 65 million people globally are estimated to be living with so-called post-COVID-19 condition — a number reported to be steadily increasing in the absence of approved treatments and continuing viral spread. The research from the Clinical Epidemiology Center of the Veterans Affairs St. Louis Health Care System in Missouri shows how longterm ailments that afflict COVID survivors add to the disease burden of the pande...

James Harden fined $100K after calling 76ers’ Daryl Morey a ‘liar’ and demanding trade

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:00 GMT

James Harden has been fined $100,000 for publicly demanding to be traded through comments that included ripping the Philadelphia 76ers’ Daryl Morey as “a liar,” the NBA announced Tuesday.The 10-time All-Star asked for a trade in June, the same month he picked up his $35.6 million option for the 2023-24 season. But a deal never happened, and ESPN reported this month that the 76ers were ending trade discussions for the 33-year-old guard.Harden then expressed his displeasure with Morey, the 76ers’ president of basketball operations, during an Aug. 14 event for Adidas in China.“Daryl Morey is a liar and I will never be a part of an organization that he’s a part of,” Harden said at the time. “Let me say that again. Daryl Morey is a liar and I will never be a part of an organization that he’s a part of.”Harden shared a similar sentiment in an interview that Houston’s KHOU 11 published Aug. 17, saying “I think so”...

Shooting death of California shop owner over pride flag still under investigation

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:00 GMT

The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department has identified the man who shot and killed a business owner after a confrontation over her hanging a pride flag outside her shop.According to the department, on Friday, Aug. 18, Travis Ikeguchi, 27, of Cedar Glen, California, tore down a pride flag and shouted homophobic slurs before shooting and killing Laura Ann “Lauri” Carleton, 66, outside her Mag.Pi clothing store in Cedar Glen.San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus called Carleton’s killing “senseless” at a Monday afternoon news conference.According to witnesses, Carleton confronted Ikeguchi in the street outside of her Hook Creek Road shop. Ikeguchi reportedly shouted homophobic slurs at Carleton before shooting and killing her.According to Carleton’s family, pride flags hanging outside her Cedar Glen store — she owned another store in Studio City — had previously been torn down and she had responded by hanging up even larger flags.San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputies ar...

Biden to attend next month’s G-20 summit in New Delhi, while Harris will head to Jakarta for ASEAN

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:00 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House announced Tuesday that President Joe Biden will attend next month’s Group of 20 summit in New Delhi, India.White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said that meetings—and Biden’s talks with leaders on the sidelines of the summit—will focus on climate change, Russia’s war in Ukraine and more. The White House has not said which leaders the president will hold individual meetings with but China’s President Xi Jinping and Saudi Arabia’s crown prince Mohammed bin Salman, are among officials from leading global economies who have been invited to attend the leaders’ meeting“He’ll discuss a range of joint efforts to tackle global issues from the clean energy transition and combating climate change to mitigating the economic and social impacts of Russia’s war in Ukraine to increasing the capacity of multilateral development banks, including the World Bank, to better fight poverty and take on the significant tran...

Dangerous fungus is becoming more prevalent. Scientists believe climate change could be to blame

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:00 GMT

SEATTLE (AP) — In 2016, hospitals in New York state identified a rare and dangerous fungal infection never before found in the United States. Research laboratories quickly mobilized to review historical specimens and found the fungus had been present in the country since at least 2013. In the years since, New York City has emerged as ground zero for Candida auris infections. And until 2021, the state recorded the most confirmed cases in the country year after year, even as the illness has spread to other places, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data analyzed by The Associated Press.Candida auris is a globally emerging public health threat that can cause severe illness, including bloodstream, wound and respiratory infections. In a small group of patients in the United States, its mortality rate was estimated at 30% to 60%, according to the CDC, and many of those patients had other underlying conditions. Candida auris is a particular risk in healthcare set...

California mountain and desert towns dig out of the mud from 1st tropical storm in 84 years

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:00 GMT

CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. (AP) — Crews in mountain and desert towns worked to clear away mud and debris Tuesday in the aftermath of the first tropical storm to hit Southern California in 84 years.The system was dissipating as it moved over the Rocky Mountains.Hilary dumped record rainfall over California’s deserts, including in the stark Death Valley that experienced its single-rainiest day on record on Sunday. As Hilary moved northeast into the neighboring state of Nevada, flooding was reported, power was out and a boil-water order was issued for about 400 households in the Mount Charleston area, where the only road in and out was washed out. The area is about 40 miles (64 kilometers) west of Las Vegas.Hilary first slammed into Mexico’s arid Baja California Peninsula as a hurricane, causing one death and widespread flooding before becoming a tropical storm. So far, no deaths, serious injuries or extreme damages have been reported in California, though officials warned that risks...

Large explosion in Prince George, B.C., sends two to hospital: B.C. Health Services

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:00 GMT

PRINCE GEORGE, B.C. — Authorities in northern British Columbia say they are searching for a cause of a large explosion at an abandoned building in downtown Prince George that sent two people to hospital.Prince George RCMP say the blast happened around 7 a.m., and power to the area was shut down.  Video footage of the aftermath posted online shows thick black smoke pluming into the air as firefighters doused the flames.Police spokeswoman Cpl. Jennifer Cooper says one of the people sent to hospital has serious injuriesPolice originally sent the blast sent three people to hospital, but B.C. Emergency Health Services later revised the figure down to two.Fortis and BC Hydro are at the scene to try to help firefighters contain the blaze and aid in the investigation. Police are asking people to avoid the area. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 22, 2023.The Canadian Press

MacKenzie Scott gave 24 nonprofits $146 million in the first half of 2023

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:00 GMT

MacKenzie Scott’s quest to give the bulk of her wealth to charity continues.So far this year, 24 nonprofits have announced they’ve received unrestricted donations from Scott through her Yield Giving fund, according to a Chronicle of Philanthropy tally. The gifts total $146 million and range from $1 million to $15 million. Nearly half went to charities focused on early-childhood education and early-childhood development. Scott has now given more than $14.1 billion to at least 1,621 charities since 2020.To encourage people to focus on the charities rather than on her, Scott has stopped announcing her donations as she had in the past. Now she leaves it up to the charities to decide whether to publicize her gifts. Given the scale of her giving in previous years, it is likely the 24 announced contributions represent only a portion of what she has actually donated so far this year.Charity leaders say they appreciate Scott’s decision to let nonprofits choose whether to publicize the gifts ...

Jailed Sam Bankman-Fried can’t prepare for trial without vegan diet and adequate meds, lawyers say

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:00 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried can’t adequately prepare for trial in six weeks while in jail without proper access to computers, necessary medications to help him concentrate, and a better diet than bread, water and peanut butter, his lawyers told a magistrate judge Tuesday.The lawyers made their complaints at a Manhattan federal court hearing after Bankman-Fried pleaded not guilty to seven charges he’ll face at his Oct. 3 trial, including wire fraud and multiple conspiracy counts.Bankman-Fried was extradited from the Bahamas in December after prosecutors said he stole billions of dollars in FTX customer deposits, spending tens of millions on his businesses, speculative venture investments, charitable donations and on illegal campaign contributions aimed at influencing cryptocurrency regulation in Washington.The 31-year-old California man was making his first court appearance in a drab beige prison uniform since his $250 million bail was revoked 10 days ago by J...