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Gomes leads Cubs against the Padres after 4-hit performance

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:17:20 GMT

San Diego Padres (12-13, third in the NL West) vs. Chicago Cubs (13-9, third in the NL Central)Chicago; Wednesday, 7:40 p.m. EDTPITCHING PROBABLES: Padres: Michael Wacha (2-1, 7.08 ERA, 1.72 WHIP, 18 strikeouts); Cubs: Drew Smyly (2-1, 3.13 ERA, .91 WHIP, 23 strikeouts)FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Padres -114, Cubs -106BOTTOM LINE: The Chicago Cubs play the San Diego Padres after Yan Gomes had four hits against the Padres on Tuesday.Chicago has a 13-9 record overall and a 7-7 record at home. The Cubs have the fifth-best team ERA in baseball at 3.33.San Diego has gone 7-5 on the road and 12-13 overall. The Padres are 7-2 in games when they out-hit their opponents.Wednesday’s game is the second time these teams match up this season.TOP PERFORMERS: Nico Hoerner has five doubles, a triple and two home runs for the Cubs. Gomes is 15-for-38 with four home runs over the past 10 games.Juan Soto has three doubles, four home runs and nine RBI while hitting .188 for the Padres. Xander Bo...

Mets bring 3-game losing streak into matchup against the Nationals

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:17:20 GMT

Washington Nationals (8-14, fifth in the NL East) vs. New York Mets (14-10, second in the NL East)New York; Wednesday, 7:10 p.m. EDTPITCHING PROBABLES: Nationals: MacKenzie Gore (2-1, 3.43 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 25 strikeouts); Mets: Kodai Senga (3-0, 4.29 ERA, 1.52 WHIP, 25 strikeouts)FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Mets -209, Nationals +175; over/under is 8 1/2 runsBOTTOM LINE: The New York Mets play the Washington Nationals as losers of three in a row.New York has a 4-3 record at home and a 14-10 record overall. Mets hitters have a collective .333 on-base percentage, the fifth-ranked percentage in the NL.Washington has gone 6-5 in road games and 8-14 overall. The Nationals are 6-3 in games when they have more hits than their opponents.The matchup Wednesday is the second time these teams meet this season.TOP PERFORMERS: Pete Alonso has a double and 10 home runs for the Mets. Brandon Nimmo is 18-for-42 with three doubles and two home runs over the last 10 games.Keibert Ruiz has four doubles,...

Dodgers aim to keep win streak going against the Pirates

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:17:20 GMT

Los Angeles Dodgers (13-11, first in the NL West) vs. Pittsburgh Pirates (16-8, first in the NL Central)Pittsburgh; Wednesday, 6:35 p.m. EDTPITCHING PROBABLES: Dodgers: Tony Gonsolin (0-0); Pirates: Roansy Contreras (2-1, 4.57 ERA, 1.52 WHIP, 19 strikeouts)FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Dodgers -143, Pirates +122; over/under is 8 1/2 runsBOTTOM LINE: The Los Angeles Dodgers will attempt to keep their three-game win streak alive when they visit the Pittsburgh Pirates.Pittsburgh is 7-4 at home and 16-8 overall. The Pirates have the 10th-best team ERA in baseball at 3.78.Los Angeles has a 13-11 record overall and a 7-5 record in road games. The Dodgers have the second-best team slugging percentage in the majors at .459.Wednesday’s game is the second time these teams meet this season.TOP PERFORMERS: Andrew McCutchen has four doubles and five home runs while hitting .270 for the Pirates. Jack Suwinski is 11-for-29 with four doubles and four home runs over the past 10 games.James Outm...

Marlins bring road skid into matchup against the Braves

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:17:20 GMT

Miami Marlins (12-12, third in the NL East) vs. Atlanta Braves (16-8, first in the NL East)Atlanta; Wednesday, 7:20 p.m. EDTPITCHING PROBABLES: Marlins: Sandy Alcantara (1-2, 5.84 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 20 strikeouts); Braves: Bryce Elder (2-0, 1.14 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 23 strikeouts)FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Braves -158, Marlins +135; over/under is 8 runsBOTTOM LINE: The Miami Marlins hit the road against the Atlanta Braves looking to break a three-game road slide.Atlanta has a 6-6 record at home and a 16-8 record overall. The Braves have gone 5-2 in games decided by one run.Miami has a 5-6 record on the road and a 12-12 record overall. The Marlins have gone 9-1 in games when they did not allow a home run.The teams meet Wednesday for the third time this season.TOP PERFORMERS: Sean Murphy has seven doubles, six home runs and 16 RBI for the Braves. Ozzie Albies is 13-for-39 with two doubles, a triple and five home runs over the past 10 games.Luis Arraez has five doubles, a triple and a home r...

Titans finalize last piece of NFL’s next pricey stadium

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:17:20 GMT

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Tennessee Titans have the final financing piece for the NFL’s next pricey stadium with the largest public investment yet that they hope to open for the 2027 season.The Metro Nashville City Council finally approved by a 26-12 vote early Wednesday morning on the final reading to allow its sports authority to issue $760 million in bonds. That combines with $500 million in state bonds for $1.2 billion in public financing committed to the Titans’ enclosed stadium.That gives Tennessee the largest public price tag for a stadium, topping the $850 million commitment from New York for Buffalo’s new $1.5 billion stadium.The stadium’s total cost is estimated at $2.1 billion. The Titans, with help from the NFL and personal seat licenses, will provide the remaining $840 million. Controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk thanked everyone involved as the Titans start on a new chapter. “For more than 25 years, Nashville, Tennessee, has been the Tita...

‘Not a competition’: UK’s Braverman hits back at criticism of Sudan evacuation

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:17:20 GMT

LONDON — Home Secretary Suella Braverman dismissed suggestions the U.K. failed to prioritize the evacuation of non-embassy staff from Sudan.In a round of interviews Wednesday morning, the U.K. home secretary defended British evacuation efforts and rejected suggestions the government has been slow to help civilians leave the African nation, which has been plunged into conflict amid a power-struggle.The British government has faced criticism for the speed of its evacuation. It removed U.K. diplomats from the country over the weekend, and began flights for other British passport-holders Tuesday. Ministers argued that the conditions on the ground were too dangerous pending a cease-fire, which began late Monday, and flights carrying Brits from Sudan began landing in Cyprus overnight. More are due today.In remarks which have been interpreted as a swipe at the U.K. government, the German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock said she would not leave German citizens “to their own devices...

Use Gulf trade deal to challenge human rights abuses, MPs urge UK

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:17:20 GMT

LONDON — Britain should use a coveted post-Brexit trade deal with a six-country bloc of Gulf nations to challenge “substantial and persistent human rights abuses,” a cross-party group of MPs urged Wednesday.In a new report, the Commons international trade committee flagged “extreme concern” about human rights in the Gulf Cooperation Council, whose members include Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).British ministers are in talks with the bloc about a potential trade deal, as the U.K. seeks new partners in the wake of Brexit. But human rights fears in GCC countries like Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar have been highly publicized in recent years. Homosexuality is illegal in five of the six countries in the GCC and there are widespread concerns about the exploitation of workers across the bloc.The UAE’s trade minister told POLITICO in March that the U.K. should not expect trade deals with the bloc if it tries to tal...

When told of Kishida attack, safety chief kept eating eel

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:17:20 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s public safety chief has come under fire for his remark that he enjoyed eel rice so much that he kept eating after his agency informed him of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s narrow escape from a pipe bomb attack two weeks ago.Koichi Tani, chair of the National Public Safety Commission for Kishida’s Cabinet, told a governing party gathering Tuesday that he had the local delicacy in front of him for lunch when the phone rang. “I was told that we can eat delicious unagi (eel) rice bowl there, and I was really looking forward to it,” Tani told party lawmakers. “Just as I was going to dig into it, I got a call from the National Police Agency saying something was thrown at the prime minister in Wakayama,” Tani said. “But I fully savored and finished … my unadon (eel rice bowl),” he said, beaming. Tani was in the Shimanto area in the southwestern prefecture of Kochi during the attack — about 250 kilometers (150 miles) southwest of Wakayama, ...

Germany: Van carrying 29 Syrians flees, hits police car

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:17:20 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — A van carrying 29 people from Syria collided with a police car after its driver tried to evade a check by officers near Germany’s border with Poland, police said Wednesday. No one was hurt. The van was stopped near Goerlitz on Tuesday evening. Before officers could check the vehicle, the driver suddenly accelerated and drove off, German news agency dpa reported.After a chase, the van collided with a patrol car in Markersdorf, a few kilometers (miles) away. Federal police said no medical treatment was needed for the men, women and children from Syria. The 50-year-old driver is under investigation on suspicion of smuggling foreigners into Germany and dangerous interference with traffic. Police did not immediately give information on his identity.___Follow AP’s coverage of global migration at https://apnews.com/hub/migrationThe Associated Press

German company sells heat pump business to US firm Carrier

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:17:20 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — Germany’s Viessmann Group is selling its business with heat pumps, viewed as a key technology in making heating more climate-friendly, to Florida-based Carrier Global Corp. as part of a 12 billion-euro ($13.2 billion) deal. The sale of Viessmann’s “climate solutions” business, which includes heat pumps and which both companies announced late Tuesday, comes as Germany is putting into place plans to phase out gas and oil heating systems as a way to curb global warming. Heat pumps are seen as important to weaning Germans off those systems. German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck, who is leading those plans, said the Viessmann deal showed that the market for heat pumps “is so attractive that it is drawing investment.” He said in a statement that the government would examine the deal. “It is important that the advantages of our energy policy and profits that are made with it continue to benefit Germany as a location,” he said. “We will pay attention to this.”Senior...