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Chicago baseball report: A wild week for the White Sox, a big home series set-up for the Cubs — and September call-ups

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:55 GMT

The Chicago Cubs took care of business in Pittsburgh to set up a huge series at Wrigley Field.They carry momentum into a three-game set against the Milwaukee Brewers after winning three of four games against the Pirates. It’s a chance to chip away at the Brewers’ National League Central lead, beginning with Monday night’s series opener in what should be an electric atmosphere.It was a week of change for the White Sox after firing executive vice president Ken Williams and general manager Rick Hahn on Tuesday. In the release announcing the news, the Sox said they will “begin a search for a single decision-maker to lead the baseball operations department” and anticipate having someone in place “by the end of the season.”Every Monday throughout the season, Tribune baseball writers will provide an update on what happened — and what’s ahead for the Cubs and Sox.Seiya Suzuki on a roll since mental resetSometimes watching the game from t...

Official says the UN remains committed to helping reach a deal healing Cyprus’ ethnic split

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:55 GMT

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — United Nations chief Antonio Guterres is paying very close attention to the situation on war-divided Cyprus and will use all means at his disposal to help reach an agreement to heal the Mediterranean island nation’s ethnic split, a senior U.N. official said Monday.U.N. Assistant Secretary-General for Europe, Central Asia and the Americas Miroslav Jenča said he and Cyprus’ Greek Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides discussed ways of resuming talks with breakaway Turkish Cypriots that have remained stalemated since 2017, when negotiations at a Swiss resort collapsed.Jenča said U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres would definitely “use all his good offices in order to help this process to find a solution to the Cyprus issue.”Cyprus government spokesperson Constantinos Letymbiotis said Jenča conveyed Guterres’ “dedication to efforts for a resumption of negotiations” and that the world body continues to look for ways to get negotiations back on track.Cy...

To stop wildfires, residents in some Greek suburbs put their own money toward early warning drones

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:55 GMT

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — The nightmare repeats itself every year: A towering wall of flames devours forests, farmland and homes, forcing animals and people to flee for their lives. With their hot, dry summers, Greece and its southern European neighbors experience hundreds of devastating wildfires each year. Last week alone, wildfires killed 21 people in Greece. The country’s deadliest, in 2018, cost more than 100 lives. And experts warn that climate change is likely to exacerbate extreme weather, fueling more wildfires.This summer, a group of residents in a leafy suburb of the Greek capital united in determination to prevent the nightmare from reaching their homes.In less than a week in early August, an initial group of three people with a shared concern grew to an online community of about 320 offering donations to hire a company using long-range drones equipped with thermal imaging cameras as a sophisticated early warning system to catch wildfires before they can spread.“We’re all wo...

US, China agree to discuss export controls as commerce secretary visits to warm up chilly ties

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:55 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said she and her Chinese counterpart agreed Monday to exchange information on U.S. export controls that frustrate Beijing and set up a group to discuss other commercial issues, but neither side appeared ready to make concessions on disputes that have plunged relations to their lowest level in decades.Raimondo joined American officials including Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen in July who have visited China in hopes of reviving chilly relations. They expressed optimism about improving communication but no progress on conflicts over technology, security, human rights and a lingering tariff war.For its part, Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s government wants to revive foreign investor interest in China as it tries to reverse a deepening economic slump.Raimondo said she and Commerce Minister Wang Wentao agreed during a four-hour meeting to launch an “information exchange” on export controls. She said they also will set up a “working group” of of...

Tropical Storm Idalia is expected to become a hurricane and move toward Florida, forecasters say

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:55 GMT

MIAMI (AP) — Tropical Storm Idalia intensified early Monday and was expected to become a major hurricane before it reaches Florida’s Gulf coast, the National Hurricane Center said Monday, warning of an increasing risk of life-threatening storm surge and dangerous hurricane-force winds in Florida as soon as late Tuesday. Heavy rainfall in western Cuba could produce flooding and landslides, forecasters said, and hurricane-force winds were expected later Monday.At 8 a.m. EDT Monday, the storm was about 90 miles (150 kilometers) off the western tip of Cuba with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph (100 kph). The storm was moving north at 8 mph (13 kph) at the time, the hurricane center said.The center’s update also included a hurricane advisory for the Cuban province of Pinar Del Rio.Forecasters said they expected Idalia to become a hurricane later Monday and a dangerous major hurricane by early Wednesday over the northeastern Gulf of Mexico. Idalia was expected to move northwa...

UK flights are being delayed and canceled as a ‘technical issue’ hits air traffic control

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:55 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Thousands of air travelers faced delays on Monday after Britain’s air traffic control system was hit by a breakdown that slowed takeoffs and landings.Flight control operator National Air Traffic Services said it was experiencing a “technical issue” that could delay flights on Monday, the end of a holiday weekend and one of the busiest travel days of the year.The service said it had “applied traffic flow restrictions to maintain safety” and that engineers were working to find and fix the fault. It said U.K. airspace remained open.It did not give an estimate of how long it would take to fix the problem, or what had caused it, but European air traffic authority Eurocontrol warned of “very high” delays because of a “flight data processing system failure” in the U.K.Scottish airline Loganair said there had been “a network-wide failure of U.K. air traffic control computer systems.”“Although we are hopeful of being able to operate most intra-Scotland flights on th...

French ambassador stays in Niger, defying junta, as Macron defends French policy

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:55 GMT

PARIS (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron said Monday that France’s ambassador is staying at his post in Niger despite being asked to leave by the ruling junta, speaking out firmly against the coup leaders while insisting that France is not Niger’s enemy.Since ousting Niger’s democratically elected president a month ago, the junta has been exploiting grievances among the population toward former colonial ruler France, and has turned to Russian mercenary group Wagner for help.Macron dismissed concerns that standing up to the junta could be dangerous.“Our policy is the right one. It depends on the courage of President Mohamed Bazoum, the commitment of our diplomats, of our ambassador on the ground who is remaining despite pressure,” Macron told a gathering of French ambassadors in Paris.French Ambassador Sylvain Itte was asked to leave Niger within 48 hours in a letter Friday from the Nigerien Foreign Ministry that accused him of ignoring an invitation for a meeting with the minis...

Judge to decide if father of man accused in parade shooting will stand trial too

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:55 GMT

CHICAGO (AP) — An Illinois judge is expected to decide Monday whether the father of the man accused of fatally shooting seven people at a Fourth of July parade in suburban Chicago will stand trial himself for helping his son obtain a gun license three years earlier.Prosecutors charged the father, Robert Crimo Jr., under an unconstitutionally vague law and the whole case should therefore be tossed, his lawyer argued at a hearing earlier this month in Waukegan, north of Highland Park where the 2022 shooting took place. If Lake County Judge George Strickland rejects the defense motion to dismiss, Crimo Jr.’s bench trial would start on Nov. 6.The judge said at that earlier hearing that he’d take three weeks to mull a decision and announce his ruling at Monday’s hearing.Crimo Jr. pleaded not guilty earlier this year to seven counts of reckless conduct — one count for each person killed. Each count carries a maximum three-year prison term. Prosecutors had alleged that he...

Man killed in industrial accident in Brampton

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:55 GMT

A man is dead following an industrial accident in Brampton on Monday morning.Emergency crews were called to the area of Orenda Road and Dixie Road around 7:30 a.m.Police say a man was pronounced dead at the scene.The Ministry of Labour has been called in to investigate.This is a developing story. More to come.

At least 6 carjackings, armed robberies within 2-hour span on Chicago's North and West sides: police

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:55 GMT

CHICAGO — At least six people were robbed or carjacked within a two-hour span on the city's North and West sides.According to police, the robberies started around 9:45 p.m. Sunday on the 2200 block of West Hirsch. A man and women told authorities that two males approached them, punched the man multiple times and took their personal belongings.Just minutes later, police said a 67-year-old man and 29-year-old woman were approached by three suspects on the 2000 block of North Hoyne, one of them was armed with a gun. The two victims were robbed and the suspects punched the 67-year-old man multiple times.He was transported to St. Mary's Hospital where he is listed in good condition.Around 9:55 p.m., police said robbers attempted to steal a 35-year-old man's belongings on the 2100 block of North Hoyne. The victim refused to comply, resulting in the suspects' punching the man multiple times.Minutes after 10 p.m., police said suspects stole a woman's white SUV on the 1200 block of North Mil...