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Questions swirl around key players

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:01:50 GMT

On a roster full of short-term free agent additions, veterans attempting comebacks, newcomers eager to prove themselves, and players trying to live up to big contracts and the accompanying expectations, there are many kinds of key players.There’s Chris Sale and James Paxton, two starting pitchers in their mid-30s who were dominant before needing Tommy John surgery in 2020 and 2021, respectively. Both had their comeback attempts derailed by injuries last summer; can they stay healthy this time around?Garrett Whitlock was outstanding out of the bullpen his rookie season in 2021, but struggled as a starter in 2022, and then had season-ending hip surgery. Can he become the full-time starting pitcher the Red Sox think he can be?Likewise for Tanner Houck, who came up as a starter, but was relegated to the bullpen last year before season-ending back surgery. Can he settle into a steady role? Can he get through a lineup the third time through?Speaking of the bullpen, can Kenley Jansen lead ...

Daylight savings dispute leaves Lebanon with two time zones

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:01:50 GMT

BEIRUT (AP) — The Lebanese government’s last-minute decision to delay the start of daylight savings time by a month until the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan resulted in mass confusion Sunday.With some institutions implementing the change while others refused, many Lebanese have found themselves in the position of juggling work and school schedules in different time zones — in the same tiny country.In some cases, the debate took on a sectarian nature, with many Christian politicians and institutions, including the small nation’s largest church, the Maronite Church, rejecting the move.The small Mediterranean country normally sets its clocks forward an hour on the last Sunday in March, which aligns with most European countries.However, on Thursday Lebanon’s government announced a decision by caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati to push the start of daylight savings to April 21.No reason was given for the decision, but a video of a meeting between Mikati and Parliament Speaker...

Honduras establishes ties with China after Taiwan break

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:01:50 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — Honduras established diplomatic ties with China on Sunday after breaking off relations with Taiwan, which is increasingly isolated and now recognized by only 13 sovereign states, including Vatican City.Foreign ministers from China and Honduras signed a joint communique in Beijing — a decision the Chinese Foreign Ministry hailed as “the right choice.”The new ties come amid rising tensions between Beijing and the United States, including over China’s increasing assertiveness toward self-ruled Taiwan, and signal growing Chinese influence in Latin America. The new China-Honduras relationship was announced after the Honduran and Taiwanese governments made separate announcements that they were severing ties. The Honduran Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Twitter that its government recognizes “only one China in the world” and that Beijing “is the only legitimate government that represents all of China.”It added that “Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinese terr...

Hong Kongers hold first protest in years under strict rules

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:01:50 GMT

HONG KONG (AP) — Dozens of people on Sunday joined Hong Kong’s first authorized demonstration against the government since the lifting of major COVID-19 restrictions under unprecedentedly strict rules, including wearing a numbered badge around their necks.The rules set out by the police, who cited security reasons, came as the financial hub was promoting its return to normalcy after years of anti-virus controls and political turmoil.During the pandemic, protests were rare due to COVID-19 restrictions. In addition, many activists have been silenced or jailed after Beijing imposed a national security law following massive protests in 2019. Critics say the city’s freedom of assembly has been eroded. Sunday’s demonstration against the proposed reclamation and construction of rubbish-processing facilities was the first police-approved march of its kind after the city scrapped its mask mandate and social distancing limits. But organizers had to comply with police requirements ...

These are the three things you should expect in the federal Liberals’ upcoming budget

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:01:50 GMT

OTTAWA — The federal Liberal government is expected to release its budget for the 2023-24 fiscal year on Tuesday. Here’s a look at three big things to expect:Investments in the clean economyOttawa is expected to make big investments in clean energy and technology in the upcoming budget as it tries to keep competitive in the transition toward a greener economy.Canada’s main competitor is the United States, which decided last summer to invest nearly US$400 billion over ten years in the Inflation Reduction Act. The law targets that investment in key areas tied to the clean economy: critical minerals, battery manufacturing, electric vehicles and renewable energy, including hydrogen. As part of Canada’s efforts to keep up, the government is expected to introduce new tax credits in the budget that would encourage the development of renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power.Promises on affordabilityThe Liberals have sought to signal that more help is on the wa...

Millennials dominate insolvencies as credit card, student loan, CERB tax debts add up

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:01:50 GMT

Insolvency trustee Doug Hoyes encounters a lot of Canadians with money troubles, but he’s become particularly sympathetic to the plight of young people who find themselves financially underwater. For more than a decade, his Ontario-based firm Hoyes Michalos has been crunching bankruptcy and insolvency numbers for its annual “Joe Debtor” analysis, with its latest results released last month ahead of tax season. He’s concluded that millennial Canadians have been dealt a generational losing hand as they face student loans layered with bad debts from credit cards, high-interest loans, and post-pandemic tax debt from collecting CERB.“I think there’s a whole bunch of whammies that have hit millennials.” Hoyes said. “The CERB was the final straw that broke the camel’s back.”The 2022 Joe Debtor study examined 2,700 personal insolvencies filed in Ontario. Hoyes Michalos says 49 per cent were filed by millennials aged 26 to 41, even ...

Devastating Severe Weather in Southern U.S.

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:01:50 GMT

A devastating round of severe weather that started yesterday evening and continued into the overnight hours flattened homes, decimated towns, left more than two dozen people dead and injured dozens more from Mississippi to Alabama.Preliminary information from the National Weather Service office in Jackson, MS says one tornado started about 20 miles southwest of Rolling Fork, MS.  After hitting Rolling Fork the tornado continued its path of destruction northeast toward the rural communities of Midnight and Silver City. Tchula, Black Hawk and Winona would eventually find themselves in the storm's path.  The NWS says storm reports and radar data suggest the tornado was on the ground for more than an hour and traveled at least 170 miles. National Weather Service-JacksonMS UPDATE: The Rolling Fork/Silver City tornado has received a preliminary EF-4 rating. Some additional preliminary stats from the Rolling Fork/Silver City tornado -Path length: Approximately 59 miles beginning in norther...

Daily horoscope for March 26, 2023

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:01:50 GMT

Moon Alert: There are no restrictions to shopping or important decisions today. The Moon is in Gemini.Happy Birthday for Sunday, March 26, 2023:You appear to be easygoing and casual; however, you are actually intense and determined. You are honest, courageous and love to explore new situations. This year is the last year of a nine-year cycle for you, which means it’s time to let go of what is no longer relevant in your life. Lighten up!ARIES(March 21-April 19) ★★★Today you feel restless and want to meet new faces, see new places and explore new ideas. Can you take a short trip? Expect to deal with changing dynamics at home. Tonight: Conversations. This Week: It’s a dynamic, productive week! Enjoy shopping.TAURUS(April 20-May 20) ★★★It’s a good day to buy wardrobe treasures for yourself, especially because in the next six weeks, you will be more direct in all your communications! Tonight: Care for your possessions. This Week: You look attractive to others, and you w...

The committee serves to promote competition and protect consumer rights

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:01:50 GMT

A large-scale work aimed at creating a compact and professional public administration system is ongoing in Uzbekistan. In this process, special attention is paid to ensuring the timely and effective implementation of administrative reforms, organizing the activities of the republic’s executive authorities based on updated requirements and principles, writes Farrukh Karaboev.The Presidential Decree “On measures to implement administrative reforms of the new Uzbekistan” from December 21, 2022, became the logical continuation of work in this direction. In accordance with the Decree, as part of the first phase of reforms, a proposal was adopted for the formation of a unified system of executive bodies of the republic from January 1, 2023.According to the established principle, state bodies in the form of a committee were divided into two categories, i.e. those that coordinate and regulate the activities of the sector within the relevant field and organize the collegial management work i...

Dear Abby: I worry that the TV weather report will harm emotionally vulnerable people

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:01:50 GMT

DEAR ABBY: My local TV meteorologists and reporters have a terrible habit of calling rainy weather “miserable,” cloudy weather “gloomy,” and any other non-sunny day “dreary.” With so many horrible events in the news on a daily basis, reporting the weather this way seems irresponsible and reckless.For some emotionally vulnerable members of our community, these negative words could be dangerous.Weather is weather. When we were kids, my friends and I would play outside in the rain and none of us ever thought of it as gloomy, dreary or miserable. Using such a powerful medium as television in this way could have a negative impact on people who are already in a dark place.IT’S RAINING BUT NOT DREARY IN DELAWAREDEAR IT’S RAINING: Thank you for speaking up, but you are addressing your comments to the wrong person — they should be directed to the manager of your local television station.While some weather forecasters may speak off the cuf...