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Chicago baseball report: Cubs, White Sox face a key week for trade deadline preparations

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:37:26 GMT

It’s go time for the Cubs as they enter a pivotal stretch in their schedule to determine which direction the front office takes at the trade deadline.The Cubs couldn’t secure the series win Sunday with an 11-5 loss to the Boston Red Sox with seven games remaining on the homestand.The White Sox had one of their best series of the season, taking two of three from the team with the top record in baseball in Atlanta. The Sox continue their longest trip of the season with three at the New York Mets and three at the Minnesota Twins.Every Monday throughout the season, Tribune baseball writers will provide an update on what happened — and what’s ahead for the Cubs and Sox.Ian Happ’s power drought and the impact on the Cubs’ top-of-order lineup constructionConsistent power production hasn’t been there lately for switch-hitter Ian Happ.Since early May, Happ is hitting .218 with a .676 OPS, nine doubles, three home runs and 22 RBIs in his last 58 games...

Pod of 55 pilot whales die after being stranded on a beach in Scotland

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:37:26 GMT

LONDON (AP) — A pod of 55 pilot whales have died after they were found washed ashore on a beach in Scotland in the worst mass whale stranding in the area, marine experts said Monday.Marine rescuers, the coast guard and police were called to Traigh Mhor beach on the Isle of Lewis in northwest Scotland after receiving reports that dozens of the mammals were in difficulty there early Sunday. The British Divers Marine Life Rescue found that only 15 of the whales — a mixture of adults and calves — were still alive, and attempted to refloat two of the more active animals that were low down in the water.But by Sunday afternoon rescue teams decided that the remaining whales should be euthanized on welfare grounds, after considering the shallow beach, rough wave conditions and how long the whales had been out of the water. The charity said the whole pod may have followed a female whale onto the beach when she had problems giving birth.“Pilot whales are notorious for their strong social bonds...

The bridge to Crimea is crucial to Russia’s war effort in Ukraine and to asserting Moscow’s control

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:37:26 GMT

The bridge connecting Crimea and Russia carries heavy significance for Moscow, both logistically and psychologically, as a key artery for military and civilian supplies and as an assertion of Kremlin control of the peninsula it illegally annexed in 2014.An attack on the bridge before dawn Monday, killing a couple and seriously injuring their daughter, left a span of the roadway hanging perilously. The damage initially appeared to be less severe than what was caused by an assault in October, but it highlighted the bridge’s vulnerability.Russia blamed Ukraine for both attacks. A spokesman for the Ukrainian Security Service on Monday did not directly acknowledge responsibility but said the service would reveal details about organizing the blast once Ukraine achieves victory in the war.A CRITICAL CONNECTIONThe Crimean Peninsula extends south from Ukraine’s mainland, with road connections on two isthmuses, one of which is less than 2 kilometers (1 mile) wide, and by a bridge from a narro...

Report shows economic case for high immigration, but warns of housing trade-offs

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:37:26 GMT

OTTAWA — At a time when skeptics are questioning Canada’s plan to ramp up immigration, a new report argues the country needs to welcome a lot more newcomers to counterbalance its aging demographic.A Desjardins report released Monday analyzes how much population growth among working-age Canadians is necessary to maintain the old-age dependency ratio, which refers to the ratio between 15 to 64-year-olds and those aged 65 and older. It finds that the working-age population would have to grow by 2.2 per cent per year through 2040 to maintain the same ratio that existed in 2022. And if the country wanted to go back to the average old-age dependency ratio it had between 1990 and 2015, that group of Canadians would have to grow by 4.5 per cent annually. “I feel like the discussion around immigration levels in Canada, by and large, focuses on the immediate impact on the Canadian housing market,” said Randall Bartlett, Desjardins’ senior director of Canadian economics...

Police trying to identify man wanted for allegedly sending suspicious packages to Toronto store

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:37:26 GMT

Toronto police are asking the public for their help in identifying a man wanted for allegedly sending suspicious packages to a downtown store on several occasions.Investigators say the man shipped packages to the store in the Queen Street West and Spadina Avenue area at least four times between December 2021 and July 2023.“The contents ranged from frivolous to unknown substances but did not appear to be a risk to public safety,” police say in a release.It is not known why the man sent the packages.Police believe the suspect frequents the Queen Street East and Airport Road area of Brampton.

4 arrested in Toronto kidnapping, victim held hostage for days at gunpoint: police

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:37:26 GMT

Four people were arrested in connection with a kidnapping in downtown Toronto that saw the suspects demand a hefty ransom and threaten the victim and their family.Toronto police were notified of a missing person in the city’s downtown core on December 5, 2022.It’s alleged that the victim was lured into a vehicle by the suspects, and once inside the vehicle, two suspects pointed firearms at them.Police said the victim was held captive for three days and taken to various locations where the perpetrators repeatedly assaulted them. A firearm was discharged, though it’s unclear if the victim was shot.It’s alleged that the suspects later released the victim in the downtown Toronto area and demanded a large amount of Canadian currency. Police said the victim’s life and family were threatened.Investigators arrested four people in July 2023. A loaded handgun was recovered on one of the suspects when they were taken into custody.Police identified the suspects as ...

Key Russian bridge to Crimea is struck again, with Moscow blaming Ukraine for an attack that kills 2

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:37:26 GMT

TALLINN, Estonia — An attack before dawn Monday damaged part of a bridge linking Russia to Moscow-annexed Crimea that is a key supply route for Kremlin forces in the war with Ukraine, forcing the span’s temporary closure for a second time in less than a year. Two people were killed and their daughter was injured. Vehicle traffic on the Kerch Bridge came to a standstill, while rail traffic across the 19-kilometer (12-mile) span also was halted for about six hours.The strike was carried out by two Ukrainian maritime drones, Russia’s National Anti-Terrorist Committee said.Ukrainian officials were coy about taking responsibility, as they have been in past strikes. But in what appeared to be a tacit acknowledgment, Ukrainian Security Service spokesman Artem Degtyarenko said in a statement that his agency would reveal details of how the “bang” was organized after Kyiv has won the war.The bridge previously was attacked in October, when a truck bomb blew up two of its sections and required ...

Elton John lends celebrity support to Kevin Spacey at the actor’s sexual assault trial

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:37:26 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Kevin Spacey ‘s lawyers enlisted the help of an A-list star Monday in his sexual assault trial, calling Elton John and his husband to cast doubt on one of the Oscar winner’s accusers at the end of the defense case.John appeared briefly in the London court by video link from Monaco after his husband, David Furnish, testified that Spacey did not attend the annual party at their Windsor home at the time that the accuser said he was attacked in a car.One of the alleged victims said he was driving with Spacey to the White Tie & Tiara Ball in 2004 or 2005 when the actor grabbed his crotch so forcefully that he almost ran off the road.Furnish supported Spacey’s own testimony that the only year he had attended the event was 2001. Furnish said he had reviewed photographs taken at the party from 2001 to 2005 and Spacey only appeared in images that one year. He said all guests were photographed each year.John, who was wearing yellow tinted glasses, a dark ja...

N.W.T. confirms anthrax outbreak in Slave River Lowlands bison

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:37:26 GMT

FORT SMITH, N.W.T. — The Northwest Territories government is confirming an anthrax outbreak among the Slave River Lowlands bison population.The Department of Environment and Climate Change reported the suspected outbreak last week after 15 bison carcasses were found between Fort Smith and Fort Resolution. This week, it says the outbreak has been confirmed by laboratory testing and a total of 28 carcasses have been found.It says all carcasses are being treated as anthrax casesParks Canada says two cases were confirmed along a 10-kilometre stretch of Highway 5 in Wood Buffalo National Park.It says a total of nine carcasses have been observed.Parks Canada says the public safety risk is very low. It is extremely rare for humans to contract anthrax but they can from direct contact with dead bison.Parks Canada is putting a traffic control area in place where stopping is prohibited and public access areas are closed.An incident management team is working to detect and dispose of the infect...

Russia halted a landmark deal that allowed Ukraine to export grain at a time of growing hunger

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:37:26 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Russia halted a breakthrough wartime deal on Monday that allows grain to flow from Ukraine to countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia where hunger is a growing threat and high food prices have pushed more people into poverty.Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia would suspend the Black Sea Grain Initiative until its demands to get its own food and fertilizer to the world are met. While Russia has complained that restrictions on shipping and insurance have hampered its agricultural exports, it has shipped record amounts of wheat since last year.“When the part of the Black Sea deal related to Russia is implemented, Russia will immediately return to the implementation of the deal,” Peskov said. The suspension marks the end of an accord that the U.N. and Turkey brokered last summer to allow food to leave the Black Sea region after Russia’s invasion of its neighbor worsened a global food crisis. The initiative is credited with helping lower soaring prices ...