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Military honors for Ukrainian president as he visits Germany to discuss arms deliveries

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:15:14 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was welcomed with military honors Sunday by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz as he made his first visit to Germany since Russia invaded Ukraine.Zelenskyy is visiting allies in search of further arms deliveries to help his country fend off the Russian invasion, and funds to rebuild what’s been destroyed by more than a year of devastating conflict.A Luftwaffe jet flew Zelenskyy to the German capital from Rome, where he had met Saturday with Pope Francis and Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni.On the eve of his arrival — which is taking place amid tight security — the German government announced a new package of military aid for Ukraine worth more than 2.7 billion euros ($3 billion), including tanks, anti-aircraft systems and ammunition.“Already in Berlin. Weapons. Powerful package. Air defense. Reconstruction. EU. NATO. Security,” Zelenskyy tweeted Sunday, in an apparent reference to the key priorities of his trip.After initially hes...

Marlins host the Reds on home losing streak

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:15:14 GMT

Cincinnati Reds (18-21, fourth in the NL Central) vs. Miami Marlins (19-21, fourth in the NL East)Miami; Sunday, 1:40 p.m. EDTPITCHING PROBABLES: Reds: Luke Weaver (1-2, 7.36 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 21 strikeouts); Marlins: Braxton Garrett (1-2, 5.97 ERA, 1.64 WHIP, 28 strikeouts)FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Marlins -166, Reds +142; over/under is 8 1/2 runsBOTTOM LINE: The Miami Marlins aim to break their five-game home losing streak with a victory over the Cincinnati Reds.Miami has gone 10-11 in home games and 19-21 overall. The Marlins have a 10-2 record in games when they scored at least five runs.Cincinnati has a 6-12 record on the road and an 18-21 record overall. The Reds are 10-6 in games when they have more hits than their opponents.The matchup Sunday is the third time these teams match up this season.TOP PERFORMERS: Jorge Soler has nine doubles, nine home runs and 20 RBI while hitting .245 for the Marlins. Jesus Sanchez is 13-for-33 with seven doubles and two home runs over the pas...

Phillies try to prolong win streak, play the Rockies

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:15:14 GMT

Philadelphia Phillies (20-19, second in the NL East) vs. Colorado Rockies (16-24, fifth in the NL West)Denver; Sunday, 3:10 p.m. EDTPITCHING PROBABLES: Phillies: Aaron Nola (3-2, 4.44 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 39 strikeouts); Rockies: Kyle Freeland (3-4, 3.57 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 30 strikeouts)FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Phillies -164, Rockies +141; over/under is 11 runsBOTTOM LINE: The Philadelphia Phillies seek to keep a five-game win streak alive when they take on the Colorado Rockies.Colorado has a 16-24 record overall and a 7-11 record in home games. The Rockies are 12-1 in games when they did not give up a home run.Philadelphia is 20-19 overall and 9-12 in road games. The Phillies are 9-2 in games when they hit two or more home runs.Sunday’s game is the seventh meeting between these teams this season. The Phillies are up 5-1 in the season series.TOP PERFORMERS: Elias Diaz has six doubles and three home runs for the Rockies. Kris Bryant is 11-for-39 with a double and two home runs over...

Dodgers look to keep home win streak alive, host the Padres

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:15:14 GMT

San Diego Padres (19-21, third in the NL West) vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (25-15, first in the NL West)Los Angeles; Sunday, 4:10 p.m. EDTPITCHING PROBABLES: Padres: Ryan Weathers (0-0); Dodgers: Tony Gonsolin (0-1, 1.93 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 10 strikeouts)FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Dodgers -178, Padres +152; over/under is 9 runsBOTTOM LINE: The Los Angeles Dodgers will try to keep their eight-game home win streak intact when they face the San Diego Padres.Los Angeles is 25-15 overall and 14-6 at home. The Dodgers have gone 17-3 in games when they record eight or more hits.San Diego has a 19-21 record overall and a 9-10 record in road games. The Padres are 14-5 in games when they out-hit their opponents.Sunday’s game is the sixth time these teams meet this season. The Dodgers are up 4-1 in the season series.TOP PERFORMERS: Freddie Freeman has a .310 batting average to lead the Dodgers, and has 13 doubles and seven home runs. Will Smith is 13-for-37 with three home runs and seven RBI o...

Diamondbacks face the Giants leading series 2-1

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:15:14 GMT

San Francisco Giants (17-22, fourth in the NL West) vs. Arizona Diamondbacks (22-18, second in the NL West)Phoenix; Sunday, 4:10 p.m. EDTPITCHING PROBABLES: Giants: Logan Webb (3-5, 3.98 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 55 strikeouts); Diamondbacks: Brandon Pfaadt (0-1, 12.10 ERA, 1.97 WHIP, six strikeouts)FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Giants -143, Diamondbacks +121; over/under is 9 runsBOTTOM LINE: The Arizona Diamondbacks bring a 2-1 advantage into the next game of the series against the San Francisco Giants.Arizona is 13-10 at home and 22-18 overall. The Diamondbacks have hit 42 total home runs to rank eighth in the NL.San Francisco is 7-12 on the road and 17-22 overall. The Giants have the sixth-ranked team slugging percentage in the NL at .424.The teams match up Sunday for the fourth time this season.TOP PERFORMERS: Christian Walker leads the Diamondbacks with nine home runs while slugging .510. Dominic Fletcher is 17-for-37 with two doubles, a triple, two home runs and 13 RBI over the last 10 g...

Report: Rescue completed after partial collapse of bridge over New Mexico river

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:15:14 GMT

LOS LUNAS, N.M. (AP) — First responders completed a search for victims after a bridge over a New Mexico river partially collapsed Saturday night.Los Lunas Fire Chief John Gabaldon said two people were rescued after the Los Lunas River Bridge collapsed, KOAT-TV reported.Emergency crews initially searched for additional victims, but Gabaldon confirmed later in the night there were no other people trapped or believed to be missing. Traffic was closed in both directions for the bridge in the community about 24 miles (38.6 kilometers) south of Albuquerque. Emergency crews were attempting to determine whether a sinkhole under a sidewalk caused the collapse, KOAT reported.Source

OBF: Time for Jayson Tatum to go big

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:15:14 GMT

Happy Mother’s Day.Bobby Orr became a bronze statue on this holiday in 1970.Fifty-three years later, it’s Jayson Tatum’s turn to give birth to bedlam in Boston with a monumental performance in Game 7 against the Philadelphia 76ers.A victory pushes the Celtics into the NBA Eastern Conference Finals.Need some motivation before tipoff? Here’s our plan.In darkness under the spotlight, Deuce Tatum is carried into TD Garden dressed as a Wakandan prince. The procession is led by Paul Pierce and Queen Ramonda herself, Viola Davis. Celtics cheerleaders toss rose petals. Meanwhile, a PG version of Kendrick Lamar’s “Big Shot” fills the arena.If that doesn’t inspire Deuce Sr. to score at least 2 points in the first half, nothing will.To fire up the masses, Big Papi, Kevin Garnett, Julian Edelman, and Rob Gronkowski then emerge. They each wave a Celtics flag while creating the world’s largest sports book commercial for DraftDuelMGMBet.Finish with some vintage clips from Game 7 of the 1981 ...

Suspected Islamic extremists kill 33 in Burkina Faso

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:15:14 GMT

OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso (AP) — An attack by suspected Islamic extremists on a village in the west of Burkina Faso killed 33 civilians, the provincial governor’s office said.The provisional death toll from the Thursday evening attack on the village of Youlou in Mouhoun province was announced in a press release.Provincial governor Babo Pierre Bassinga called the attack “cowardly and barbaric.” He said in the statement that the attack happened around 5 p.m. as residents were at work in their fields beside the Mouhoun river. The governor said security actions were underway to counter the extremists.Bassinga urged the population to increase their vigilance and to collaborate with security forces.Arsene Kabore, The Associated Press

Erdogan’s leadership in the balance as Turkey votes in pivotal elections

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:15:14 GMT

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey is voting Sunday in landmark parliamentary and presidential elections that are expected to be tightly contested and could be the biggest challenge President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has faced in his two decades in power.The vote will either grant the increasingly authoritarian Erdogan a new five-year term in office or set the NATO member country on what his opposition contender calls a more democratic path.Polling began at 8 a.m. (0500 GMT) and will close at 5 p.m. (1400 GMT). Media organizations are barred from reporting partial results until an embargo is lifted at 9 p.m. (1800 GMT). There are no exit polls.For the first time in his 20 years in office, opinion polls indicate that the populist Erdogan, 69, is entering a race trailing behind an opponent. Opinion surveys have given a slight lead to Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the 74-year-old leader of the center-left, pro-secular Republican People’s Party, or CHP, and the joint candidate of a united opposition allian...

Minnesota Democrats plan to grow state government to historic size

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:15:14 GMT

The Minnesota Legislature is just days away from enacting a historic transformation of state government, adding $20 billion in spending to the next two-year budget to fund an unprecedented amount of new and expanded programs and services.That broad expansion will require hundreds, if not more than a thousand, new state employees as well as ongoing costs that will entail billions in new tax revenues to support it. The next state budget is expected to hit $72 billion, up 38 percent from the current $52 billion two-year spending plan that expires in June.Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party leaders have described their plans as a progressive vision for the future — a new “Minnesota Miracle” — that residents want. They plan to use the state’s $17.5 billion budget surplus to launch it.There’s a variety of new and expanded social programs including paid family leave, expanded access to government-backed health care as well as billions in new money for public schools and h...