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The case for and against the Red Sox signing Whit Merrifield

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:24:50 GMT

Of all the potential free agent signings the Red Sox could make this offseason, veteran infielder Whit Merrifield has emerged as perhaps the most polarizing.To some fans adding Merrifield seems like a no brainer. To others he’d be a waste of money and the Red Sox would be better off without him. With such a thin class of free agent infielders there aren’t many viable alternatives, so the Merrifield question has become particularly charged among certain portions of the fanbase.So, who’s right? Should the Red Sox sign Merrifield to take the reins at second base or should they steer clear? There are pros and cons to each approach, so here’s an argument for and against bringing Merrifield aboard this winter.Why Merrifield makes senseRight now the Red Sox options at second base include rookies Enmanuel Valdez and David Hamilton and journeyman utility player Pablo Reyes, who had his moments last season but who has primarily been a minor leaguer throughout his caree...

Teenage suspects accused of plotting to blow up a small truck at a German Christmas market

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:24:50 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — A 15-year-old boy and an alleged accomplice are accused of plotting to blow up a small truck at a Christmas market in western Germany in an attack modeled on the methods of the Islamic State group, prosecutors said Thursday.The teenager was detained Tuesday in Burscheid, a town near Cologne, and a court in Leverkusen on Wednesday ordered him kept in custody pending a possible indictment. Another teenager was arrested in the eastern German state of Brandenburg.Officials say the 15-year-old wrote in a chat group about attack plans. Prosecutors in Duesseldorf said Thursday that he and the other suspect are accused of agreeing to attack a Christmas market in Leverkusen, a city in the western Germany’s North Rhine-Westphalia state, at the beginning of December by using fuel to blow up a small truck.The teenager claimed he had acquired gasoline for the plan, according to a statement from prosecutors. The two suspects allegedly planned to leave Germany together after th...

UN weather agency says 2023 is the hottest year on record, warns of further climate extremes ahead

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:24:50 GMT

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The U.N. weather agency said Thursday that 2023 is all but certain to be the hottest year on record, and warning of worrying trends that suggest increasing floods, forest fires, glacier melt, and heat waves in the future.The World Meteorological Organization also warned that the average temperature for the year is up some 1.4 degrees Celsius (2.5 degrees Fahrenheit) from pre-industrial times – a mere one-tenth of a degree under a target limit for the end of the century as laid out by the Paris climate accord in 2015.The WMO secretary-general said the onset earlier this year of El Nino, the weather phenomenon marked by heating in the Pacific Ocean, could tip the average temperature next year over the 1.5-degree (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) target cap set in Paris.“It’s practically sure that during the coming four years we will hit this 1.5, at least on temporary basis,” Petteri Taalas said in an interview. “And in the next decade we are more or less goi...

South Korean farmers rally near presidential office to protest proposed anti-dog meat legislation

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:24:50 GMT

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Dozens of South Korean dog farmers scuffled with police during a rally near the presidential office on Thursday to protest a push by authorities to outlaw dog meat consumption.Earlier this month, government and ruling party officials agreed to introduce legislation by the year’s end that would ban the centuries-old practice. Individual lawmakers have submitted similar anti-dog meat bills in the past, but this would be the first time for the government to back such legislation.About 200 farmers, restaurant owners and others involved in the dog meat industry gathered in Thursday’s rally. They sang, raised their fists and took turns making speeches criticizing the government’s move. One protester said he would kill himself if the government and governing party move ahead with the legislation.Some farmers brought dogs in cages on their trucks but were prevented from taking them to the protest site. A shoving match between some protesters and p...

Russian missile strikes in eastern Ukraine tear through buildings and bury families in rubble

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:24:50 GMT

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian missiles tore through apartment buildings in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region, local officials said Thursday, killing at least one person and burying families under rubble as the Kremlin’s forces continued to pound the fiercely contested area with long-range weapons.Russian military units simultaneously launched six S-300 missiles during the night, according to Ukrainian Internal Affairs Minister Ihor Klymenko.The missiles struck three Donetsk cities — Pokrovsk, Novohrodivka and Myrnohrad, he said. The cities lie 25-40 kilometers (15-25 miles) from the front line.Emergency workers pulled the body of a 62-year-old man from the wreckage of a destroyed multi-story building in Novohrodivka. Four more people may be under the rubble, including a child, authorities said.In Pokrovsk, the strikes destroyed a multi-story building, nine houses, a police office and cars. Emergency crews helped rescue a man with a 6-month-old baby, covered in blood, in his hands, off...

Inflation in Europe falls to 2.4%. It shows interest rates are packing a punch

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:24:50 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Europeans again saw some relief as inflation dropped to 2.4% in November, the lowest in more than two years, as plummeting energy costs have eased a cost-of-living crisis but higher interest rates squeeze the economy’s ability to grow.Inflation for the 20 countries using the euro currency fell from an annual 2.9% in October, according to numbers released Thursday by Eurostat, the European Union’s statistics agency. It’s a far cry from the peak of 10.6% in October 2022 as an energy crisis left Europe’s households and businesses struggling to make ends meet.The new figure is close to the European Central Bank’s inflation target of 2% following a rapid series of interest rate hikes dating to summer 2022. But the tradeoff is stalled economic growth.With energy prices plunging 11.5% from a year earlier, it raises expectations that the ECB would hold rates steady for the second time in a row at its next meeting Dec. 14.ECB President Christine La...

Just drizzle and showers for many, but low tornado risk east of I-35

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:24:50 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Drizzle and showers have moved in and will be on and off through the morning through early-afternoon, mainly for the Austin Metro and eastern counties. The Hill Country will generally be drier today as most of the rain misses you to the east.For most of us this will not be a "big storm day" with rain staying generally light and thunderstorms staying isolated, but there's still a risk for a brief, spin-up tornado east of I-35 from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.The Storm Prediction Center, having previously removed our eastern counties from the "Enhanced" risk (Level 3 out of 5) has put eastern Fayette and Lee counties back in. Severe weather risk today (SPC)All this means is that there remains a potential for a brief tornado, mainly in our eastern counties, either side of midday. This all depends on where shear in the atmosphere lines up with instability. We call this a "conditional" severe weather threat, because certain conditions...if they come together...could develop a tornado...

European Commission approves two new Geographical Indications from Portugal and Sweden

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:24:50 GMT

The European Commission approved the addition of a Portuguese onion to the register of Protected Designations of Origin (PDO) and a Swedish pickled gherkin to the register of Protected Geographical Indications (PGI).‘Cebola da Madeira' is the name given to bulbs produced using traditional practices on the islands of Madeira and Porto Santo.The aroma is distinctive, with a hint of sweetness and notes of sulphur or garlic, earthy or vegetal and fresh, with low pungency and persistence. When cooked, they become milder and acquire smoky, grilled or caramel notes, while maintaining their intensity and complexity.The parish of Caniço on the island of Madeira is particularly important for the production of ‘Cebola da Madeira'. Not only does it provide most of the regional supply, but it has also been hosting the ‘Festa da Cebola' [Onion Festival] since 1997 to promote this traditional product and preserve its specific production method. On the island of Porto Santo, this crop is part of th...

Horoscopes Nov. 30, 2023: Ben Stiller, take advantage of your skills

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:24:50 GMT

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Kaley Cuoco, 38; Elisha Cuthbert, 41; Ben Stiller, 58; Billy Idol, 68.Happy Birthday: Adjust how you deal with money, contracts and health issues. Don’t let anyone control decisions that influence how you live. Design your routine to fit your needs, and take advantage of your skills and insight into what you want to pursue. Approach relationships with equality in mind and refuse to let anyone take control of matters that influence your future. Your numbers are 8, 15, 24, 29, 31, 42, 47.ARIES (March 21-April 19): Keep your thoughts to yourself. Focus on monitoring your finances, health and any contractual dealings that need your attention. Don’t believe everything you hear. Do your due diligence and make decisions based on facts. Mixing business with pleasure will lead to problems. 2 starsTAURUS (April 20-May 20): Look for an opportunity and follow your plans. Be open regarding your intentions and be open-minded to suggestions. Think big, but...

Bridge: Nov. 30, 2023

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:24:50 GMT

Cy the Cynic constantly battles his weight. We urge him to go to a gym or at least jog, but he is resistant.“I’m in a `Fitness Protection Program’” Cy shrugs.Cy won’t even exercise caution. In my club’s penny game, Cy played at today’s six spades. He won the first club with the ace and saw that with normal breaks in the majors, he could make an overtrick. Cy took the ace of trumps, then led the A-K of hearts. If East-West followed, Cy would ruff a third heart with dummy’s queen of trumps, draw trumps and claim.DOWN ONEAlas, East ruffed the king of hearts and returned a trump. The Cynic won … and West discarded. Cy ruffed a heart with the queen of trumps and drew trumps, but he had to lose a heart to West.After Cy takes the ace of hearts, he should cautiously lead a low heart. West wins and leads, say, a diamond. Cy takes dummy’s ace, leads a trump to his hand, ruffs a heart with the queen of trumps and draws trumps. Then he can r...