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Column: The Chicago Cubs are in a tailspin despite a 6-0 win. Someone notify David Ross and Marquee Sports Network.

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:29:32 GMT

Panic time at Wrigley Field?Not yet perhaps, but the Chicago Cubs’ struggles in September have fans on edge during the final regular-seasonseries of the season at Wrigley Field.A 6-0 victory against the lowly Colorado Rockies on Friday was exactly what the Cubs needed to pacify a crowd of 32,150, but it could be a temporary reprieve unless they sweep the series.Marcus Stroman was named the surprise starter for Saturday’s game, though manager David Ross ended his interview session without allowing any questions on his decision.Ross noted after Thursday’s loss to Pittsburgh that the Pirates were not a team of “our caliber.” If that’s the case, neither are the 97-loss Rockies, who sent Noah Davis, a pitcher with a 9.58 ERA, against the Cubs on Friday.Seiya Suzuki’s two-run homer in the fourth and a combined shutout by Jameson Taillon and two relievers helped the Cubs end a two-game skid and move a half-game ahead of the Miami Marlins for the No...

Federal judge again strikes down California law banning gun magazines of more than 10 rounds

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:29:32 GMT

By ADAM BEAM (Associated Press)SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California cannot ban gun owners from having detachable magazines that hold more than 10 rounds, a federal judge ruled Friday.The decision from U.S. District Judge Roger Benitez won’t take effect immediately. California Attorney General Rob Bonta, a Democrat, has already filed a notice to appeal the ruling. The ban is likely to remain in effect while the case is still pending.This is the second time Benitez has struck down California’s law banning certain types of magazines. The first time he struck it down — way back in 2017 — an appeals court ended up reversing his decision.But last year, the U.S. Supreme Court set a new standard for how to interpret the nation’s gun laws. The new standard relies more on the historical tradition of gun regulation rather than public interests, including safety. The Supreme Court ordered the case to be heard again in light of the new standards. It’s on...

Britain uses UN speech to show that it wants to be a leader on how the world handles AI

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:29:32 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Britain pitched itself to the world Friday as a ready leader in shaping an international response to the rise of artificial intelligence, with Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden telling the U.N. General Assembly his country was “determined to be in the vanguard.”Touting the United Kingdom’s tech companies, its universities and even Industrial Revolution-era innovations, he said the nation has “the grounding to make AI a success and make it safe.” He went on to suggest that a British AI task force, which is working on methods for assessing AI systems’ vulnerability, could develop expertise to offer internationally.His remarks at the assembly’s annual meeting of world leaders previewed an AI safety summit that British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is convening in November. Dowden’s speech also came as other countries and multinational groups — including the European Union, the bloc that Britain left in 2020 — are making moves on artificial i...

Tropical Storm Ophelia off the mid-Atlantic coast producing winds just below hurricane force

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:29:32 GMT

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Tropical Storm Ophelia gained strength as it churned toward the North Carolina coast on Friday, promising a weekend of heavy rain and windy conditions throughout the mid-Atlantic.Forecasters issued a hurricane watch for parts of eastern North Carolina, saying Ophelia showed the potential to gather even more strength as it passes over warm Gulf Stream waters. The storm was expected to make landfall in North Carolina on Saturday morning and dump as much as 7 inches (17.7 centimeters) of rain across portions of the state and into southeast Virginia.The intensifying weather system spun into a tropical storm in the afternoon and by nighttime was producing maximum sustained winds of 70 mph (113 kph), according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center. At around 8 p.m. forecasters said Ophelia was about 90 miles (145 kilometers) south of Cape Lookout, North Carolina, and heading north-northwest at 12 mph (19 kph). Water levels were rising along portions of the North Caro...

Yemen’s southern leader renews calls for separate state at UN

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:29:32 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The head of Yemen’s Southern Transitional Council, an umbrella group of heavily armed and well-financed militias, said Friday that he will prioritize the creation of a separate country in negotiations with their rivals, the Houthi rebels.Aidarous al-Zubaidi’s comments, in an interview with The Associated Press, come days after the conclusion of landmark talks in Riyadh between the Houthi rebels and Saudi Arabia, which leads a coalition fighting them in the country’s civil war. The remarks signal that his group might not get on board for a solution without inclusion of a separate state’s creation.Al-Zubaidi has a dual role in Yemeni politics — he is vice president of the country but also the leader of a separatist group that has joined the internationally recognized coalition government seated in the southern city of Aden. His trip to the high-level leaders meeting of the U.N. General Assembly was aimed at amplifying the call for southern separatism, which...

UNGA Briefing: Nagorno-Karabakh, Lavrov and what else is going on at the UN

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:29:32 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — It’s Day 5 of the U.N. General Assembly high-level meeting that brings world leaders together at U.N. headquarters in New York. Here are the highlights of what happened Thursday at the U.N. and what to keep an eye on Saturday. WHAT HAPPENED AT THE UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY ON FRIDAY— Days after landmark talks between Saudi Arabia and the Houthi rebels, the leader of Yemen’s Southern Transitional Council — rivals to the Houthis — told The Associated Press his umbrella group of heavily armed and well-financed militias would prioritize the creation of a separate country.— Speaking of Saudi Arabia (which has not yet spoken at the General Debate), Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the General Assembly that Israel was “at the cusp” of a historic agreement with the Gulf country. He brought props.— As the U.S. pledged $100 million to back a proposed multinational police force to Haiti that would be led by Kenya, Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry described...

Man wanted in sexual assaults of multiple 8-year-old girls

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:29:32 GMT

Toronto police are trying to identify a man believed to be behind two sexual assaults of 8-year-old girls just north of the city.Authorities responded to the first reported incident at around 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday at the TTC’s Lawrence Station.It’s alleged that while exiting a bus, a man blocked the path of an 8-year-old girl. Police said the man bent down, grabbed the bottom of the young girl’s sweater and lifted it.The victim’s mother intervened, and the man fled the scene on foot.Two days later, police responded to an incident in the Duplex Avenue and Glencairn Avenue area. It’s alleged that a man approached an 8-year-old girl while walking her dog.Police said the man asked to pet the dog, bent down and lifted the victim’s shirt, exposing her stomach.A family member yelled at the man, pushing the girl’s shirt down. Police said the man grabbed the youth’s shirt a second time, lifted it and took a picture. He then fled the area.Police ...

NCAA's CSMAS committee recommends weed be removed from banned drugs list

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:29:32 GMT

A National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) committee recommended their governing bodies implement legislation to remove marijuana from their list of banned substances Friday, according to a press release from the NCAA.The NCAA's Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports — or CSMAS Committee, for short — recommended that its governing bodies at the DI, DII and DIII levels introduce and adopt legislation that would remove cannabinoids — the psychoactive ingredient found in cannabis — from the list of NCAA banned drug classes.Committee members, who met this week in Indianapolis, also recommended the development of a robust educational strategy to accompany a potential change to cannabinoid legislation.From a broad perspective, the recommendation aims to re-center student-athlete health, while recognizing membership opinions and the changing cultural and legal landscapes surrounding cannabis.According to the press release, the central points of the recomme...

North suburban girl battling degenerative disorder surprised with trip to Hawaii

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:29:32 GMT

GURNEE, Ill. — A little girl from Lake Forest who is battling a degenerative disorder is headed to Hawaii with her family thanks to a generous surprise on Friday.5-year-old Hannah Weiss arrived at the Learning Experience Gurnee with her parents and four siblings, who were unaware of the special surprise that was in store."We are going to send her off, her and her family, off to Hawaii," Mollie Blixt, Learning Experience Area Director, said. Wrigley Field concession workers authorize strike ahead of final homestand Hannah was born with a degenerative and eventually fatal genetic brain disorder and is only able to travel with a wheelchair, breathing machine and feeding machine."Taking the trip in the first place is a really big deal because we can never travel with the whole family, Hannah's mom, Kimberly Weiss said.Now, thanks to the generosity of families from the Learning Experience Gurnee and Make A Wish Illinois, Hannah and her family will soon have to chance to relax in the Ha...

White Sox make some additions to their front office

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:29:32 GMT

CHICAGO — A new era in the front office for the White Sox is already underway, and Chris Getz is beginning to build it as the 2023 season comes to a close.On Friday, the new general manager made three hires official, including a person he'll work closely with as he starts a new era in the franchise.The White Sox have made official the three additions to the baseball operations department under new GM Chris Getz..Josh Barfield - Assistant GM.Brian Bannister - Senior advisor to pitching.Gene Watson - Director of player personnel.@WGNNews pic.twitter.com/Wg2hbsjl2o— Larry Hawley (@HawleySports) September 22, 2023The team announced that Josh Barfield will be the assistant general manager with Brian Bannister as the senior advisor to pitching while Gene Watson joins the franchise as the director of player personnel.“We are very pleased to add Josh, Brian and Gene to our baseball operations decision-making and leadership group,” said Getz in a statement released by the team. “All th...