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Column: Chicago Cubs can survive even if Marcus Stroman doesn’t return from his mysterious rib injury

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 12:42:20 GMT

In any other year, Marcus Stroman’s potential season-ending rib cartilage fracture would’ve had Chicago Cubs fans crying, “Why us?”But this has been a season unlike any other in recent Cubs history, a roller-coaster ride that no one could’ve seen coming back in spring training. They buried themselves on June 8 in Anaheim, Calif., falling 10 games under .500, only to bounce back into contention in the National League Central and wild-card race.Though the Cubs were only three games over .500 entering Wednesday’s City Series finale against the White Sox, which the Cubs won 4-3 on a three-run, walk-off home run by Christopher Morel, the atmosphere in Wrigleyville matched the giddiness of the summer of 2015, the turning point of Theo Epstein’s vaunted rebuild.So if anyone is worried the possible absence of Stroman for the final seven weeks of the season has spoiled the Cubs’ chances of making a postseason run, they mostly have kept their th...

Dean Kremer bests Manny Machado, but Padres top Orioles, 5-2, in rubber match: ‘Just had that one bad inning’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 12:42:20 GMT

Five years later, determining the winner of the Manny Machado trade is a matter of nuance. The Los Angeles Dodgers reached but lost the World Series after the Orioles parted with the star infielder amid his final season before free agency. The Orioles certainly would have liked to have done better in the deal, but even though only one member of Baltimore’s five-player return is still with the organization, he’s provided more value by himself than Machado did for the Dodgers.Right-hander Dean Kremer was not the centerpiece of that July 2018 trade, but he’s grown into that role for Baltimore, partly by default. The other four prospects the Orioles received in that trade never amounted to much for them, but with four more years of team control beyond this season, Kremer has posted 3.4 wins above replacement for Baltimore, according to Baseball-Reference — topping Machado’s 2.5 with Los Angeles — and developed into a reliable starter.He showed as much...

Heavy rain in Germany causes flooding and leads to flight cancelations in Frankfurt

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 12:42:20 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — Heavy rain in parts of Germany caused flooding and led to dozens of flight cancelations at Frankfurt Airport, the country’s busiest and a major European hub, authorities said Thursday.The airport said large quantities of water accumulated on the tarmac Wednesday evening and ground handling was suspended for more than two hours, German news agency dpa reported. The airport website showed about 70 flights were canceled by 11 p.m., when flying is ordinarily halted for the night, while 23 flights headed for Frankfurt were diverted to other airports.Downpours in parts of southwestern and central Germany led to flooded basements and streets. In Gelsenkirchen, in the western Ruhr district, the fire service said people were rescued from their cars where several highway underpasses were under water.The Associated Press

Britney Spears’ husband files for divorce 14 months after a they were married

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 12:42:20 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Britney Spears ‘ husband Sam Asghari has filed for divorce from the superstar 14 months after a they were married, a person familiar with the filing said late Wednesday.The person, who is close to Asghari but not authorized to speak publicly, confirmed the filing happened Wednesday, hours after several outlets including TMZ and People magazine reported the couple had separated.An email sent to a Spears representative was not immediately returned. Court records in Los Angeles and Ventura counties did not show where the case had been filed.Spears married Asghari at her home in Thousand Oaks, California, on June 9, 2022 in front of guests including Selena Gomez, Drew Barrymore, Paris Hilton and Madonna, in a wedding seen as a milestone in her newly reclaimed life after the dissolution just six months earlier of the court conservatorship that controlled her life for more than 13 years. The pop superstar met and began dating Asghari, a model and actor, when he ap...

Press freedom: The European Parliament in support of journalists 

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 12:42:20 GMT

Press freedom is under pressure in the EU and across the world. Find out how the European Parliament supports the work of journalists, Society.Journalism is facing more and more challenges, as new digital channels are exploited to spread disinformation in an increasingly divided world. While Europe remains the most secure continent for journalists and media freedom, there have been attacks and intimidation in some countries while Russia’s war against Ukraine makes things even worse.On the occasion of the Press Freedom Day on 3 May, MEPs held a plenary debate in Strasbourg where they expressed concern about the increasing attacks on journalists and stressed that free press is essential for democracy to function.The role of the European Parliament in protecting free pressThe European Parliament has repeatedly advocated for press freedom and media pluralism in the EU and beyond.In November 2020, Parliament called for measures for strengthening media freedom and pluralism in the EU.In N...

Detached house in Dublin sells for $1.7 million

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 12:42:20 GMT

11611 Juarez Court – Google Street ViewThe property located in the 11600 block of Juarez Court in Dublin was sold on June 29, 2023 for $1,725,000, or $872 per square foot. The house, built in 1988, has an interior space of 1,978 square feet. This single-story home offers a roomy layout with four bedrooms and two bathrooms. Additionally, the home comes with a garage. The property encompasses a generous 10,336 square feet of land.Additional houses have recently changed hands nearby:A 2,584-square-foot home on the 8000 block of Iglesia Drive in Dublin sold in September 2022, for $1,526,000, a price per square foot of $591. The home has 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.On Alto Way, Dublin, in June 2022, a 1,951-square-foot home was sold for $1,430,000, a price per square foot of $733. The home has 5 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.In June 2022, a 2,477-square-foot home on Shannon Court in Dublin sold for $2,275,000, a price per square foot of $918. The home has 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. 

Britney Spears’ husband files for divorce 14 months after they were married

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 12:42:20 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Britney Spears ‘ husband Sam Asghari has filed for divorce from the superstar 14 months after a they were married, a person familiar with the filing said late Wednesday.The person, who is close to Asghari but not authorized to speak publicly, confirmed the filing happened Wednesday, hours after several outlets including TMZ and People magazine reported the couple had separated.An email sent to a Spears representative was not immediately returned. Court records in Los Angeles and Ventura counties did not show where the case had been filed.Spears married Asghari at her home in Thousand Oaks, California, on June 9, 2022 in front of guests including Selena Gomez, Drew Barrymore, Paris Hilton and Madonna, in a wedding seen as a milestone in her newly reclaimed life after the dissolution just six months earlier of the court conservatorship that controlled her life for more than 13 years. The pop superstar met and began dating Asghari, a model and actor, when he ap...

Israeli troops kill a Palestinian in a gunbattle outside a West Bank bakery

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 12:42:20 GMT

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israeli forces raided a home above a bakery in a militant stronghold in the occupied West Bank on Thursday, killing one man in a gunbattle in Jenin, a city that has seen some of the worst bloodshed in the current round of Israeli-Palestinian fighting.Violence has gripped the region since last spring, when Israel launched near-nightly raids in response to a spate of deadly Palestinian attacks. It’s become the fiercest fighting in the West Bank in some two decades, and along with increased violence by radical Jewish settlers and settlement expansion by Israel’s far-right government, has fueled tensions in the region.Early Thursday, Israeli troops surrounded a building containing a bakery and a home. In a statement, the Israeli military said special forces were arresting two militant suspects when they came under fire, shot back and entered the building.The Palestinian Health Ministry identified the man killed as Mustafa al-Kastouni, 32. It was not i...

Atlanta takes home win streak into matchup with Chicago

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 12:42:20 GMT

Chicago Sky (12-18, 3-12 Eastern Conference) at Atlanta Dream (15-16, 9-8 Eastern Conference)College Park, Georgia; Friday, 7:30 p.m. EDTBOTTOM LINE: Atlanta hosts Chicago trying to extend its three-game home winning streak.The Dream are 9-8 against Eastern Conference opponents. Atlanta ranks fifth in the Eastern Conference in team defense, giving up 84.2 points while holding opponents to 42.4% shooting.The Sky’s record in Eastern Conference play is 3-12. Chicago ranks third in the WNBA averaging 8.0 made 3-pointers per game while shooting 36.9% from downtown. Marina Mabrey leads the team averaging 2.0 makes while shooting 36.9% from 3-point range.The teams play for the fourth time this season. The Dream won the last meeting 88-77 on July 10. Rhyne Howard scored 32 points to help lead the Dream to the victory.TOP PERFORMERS: Howard is scoring 17.5 points per game with 4.6 rebounds and 3.2 assists for the Dream. Allisha Gray is averaging 16.4 points over the past 10 games for A...

Connecticut hosts Dallas following Sabally’s 28-point game

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 12:42:20 GMT

Dallas Wings (16-14, 9-7 Western Conference) at Connecticut Sun (21-9, 11-3 Eastern Conference)Uncasville, Connecticut; Friday, 7 p.m. EDTBOTTOM LINE: Dallas plays the Connecticut Sun after Satou Sabally scored 28 points in the Wings’ 91-81 win over the Connecticut Sun.The Sun are 9-4 in home games. Connecticut leads the Eastern Conference with 12.4 fast break points.The Wings are 6-8 in road games. Dallas is the top team in the Western Conference with 41.3 points per game in the paint led by Natasha Howard averaging 9.8.The teams meet for the fourth time this season. The Wings won 91-81 in the last matchup on Aug. 13. Sabally led the Wings with 28 points, and Alyssa Thomas led the Sun with 26 points.TOP PERFORMERS: Thomas is scoring 15.3 points per game with 10.1 rebounds and 8.1 assists for the Sun. DeWanna Bonner is averaging 16.8 points and 5.7 rebounds over the last 10 games for Connecticut.Sabally is averaging 18.4 points, 8.7 rebounds, four assists and 1.7 steals for th...