SF Giants’ Ross Stripling leaves start vs. Phillies early with back injury

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:02:29 GMT

SF Giants’ Ross Stripling leaves start vs. Phillies early with back injury SAN FRANCISCO — An injury forced Giants right-hander Ross Stripling to an early exit from his start Wednesday against the Phillies, walking off the field in the fourth inning with trainer Dave Groeschner.The Giants later announced that Stripling had left the game with lower back tightness.Stripling had mostly breezed through the first three innings before running into trouble in the fourth. A couple of singles and a walk preceded a two-RBI double from J.T. Realmuto, which prompted pitching coach Andrew Bailey to pay a mound visit. After a brief discussion, Bailey signaled to the dugout for a trainer.Stripling left with a 4-2 lead and was replaced by Sean Manaea, who allowed one of two inherited runners to score on a sac fly in the fourth before surrendering a game-tying home run to Bryson Stott in the fifth.In nine games (five starts), Stripling is 0-2 with a 7.24 ERA. He signed a two-year, $25 million free-agent contract this winter, with the ability to opt out after this season.St...

‘Unrepentant’ NYC bike path terrorist gets 8 life sentences

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:02:29 GMT

‘Unrepentant’ NYC bike path terrorist gets 8 life sentences By Lauren del Valle | CNNThe Islamic extremist who drove a rented truck into pedestrians and cyclists on a New York City bike path in 2017 was sentenced to eight life sentences on Wednesday after he spoke for nearly an hour to defend his actions.Sayfullo Saipov was sentenced to life in prison for each of the eight victims as well as a consecutive term of 260 years and two additional life sentences, federal district Judge Vernon Broderick ruled in court. The judge said Saipov’s conduct and unrepentant nature was among the worst he’s ever seen.Prior to the sentence, Saipov spoke in Uzbek via a translator for nearly an hour about the history of Islam and offered a justification of his crimes, showing no indication of remorse.“It is very surprising that if one Mujahid kills one unbeliever anywhere that we will be talking about that crime for months and months, but at the same time they do not talk about anything, about any of those innocent Muslims dying in different places by thousands...

Man arrested after stabbing at Safeway parking lot in Santa Rosa: police

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:02:29 GMT

Man arrested after stabbing at Safeway parking lot in Santa Rosa: police (KRON) -- A man was arrested after a stabbing and attempted carjacking Tuesday evening at a Safeway parking lot, the Santa Rosa Police Department (SRPD) said in a Facebook post. The suspect allegedly stabbed a victim, slashed the tires of a car with a knife and tried to carjack a different vehicle before being arrested at the scene. The suspect, identified as 40-year-old Santa Rosa transient Elijah Beck, was threatening a number of individuals in the parking lot, police said. The stabbing victim is a male who had a small stab wound to his upper arm. He was treated at the parking lot and released with a non-life-threatening injury. Suspect sought after shooting death in Hayward, reward offered These alleged incidents happened around 7:49 p.m. at the Safeway on 2751 4th St.After an SRPD investigation, it was determined that the suspect tried to carjack two vehicles in the parking lot before police arrived. The suspect threatened to kill a female victim by brandishing a large kitchen...

1-year-old accidentally shot by 4-year-old brother, expected to survive

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:02:29 GMT

1-year-old accidentally shot by 4-year-old brother, expected to survive HOUSTON (AP) — A 4-year-old boy accidentally shot his 1-year-old brother at their home near northeast Houston, according to law enforcement officials.Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said deputies responded at about 4 p.m. Tuesday to the home where they determined the child found an unsecured pistol and unintentionally shot his sibling, KTRK-TV reported.The toddler was taken to a hospital and is expected to survive. A 7-year-old child also inside the home at the time was not hurt, officials said.The children’s father said the 4-year-old likes to play with toy guns and likely didn’t realize he had found one that could hurt his brother. The father said he wasn’t home when the shooting happened and that the gun belonged to a relative who was staying with them. Maj. Saul Suarez with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office urged people to be responsible with weapons.“Make sure that you’re securing them, especially when there’s children in the house,” he said.It wasn’t clear if anyone w...

D-Backs pitcher accidentally kills bird with pregame throw

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:02:29 GMT

D-Backs pitcher accidentally kills bird with pregame throw OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Arizona Diamondbacks pitchers aspire to be like Randy Johnson.Zac Gallen unintentionally got real close in emulating the Hall of Famer.While warming up in the outfield before Arizona’s game at Oakland on Wednesday, Gallen threw a curveball that hit a bird in midflight, apparently killing the animal. The throw was captured by cameras for Diamondbacks’ broadcaster Bally Sports Arizona.Johnson infamously killed a bird during a spring training game in 2001. While throwing a pitch against the San Francisco Giants, a bird crossed in front of home plate and was destroyed by the baseball. ___AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsSource

New rule seeks to weed out college programs that leave grads with low income, high debt

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:02:29 GMT

New rule seeks to weed out college programs that leave grads with low income, high debt WASHINGTON (AP) — College programs that leave graduates underpaid or buried in loans would be cut off from federal money under a proposal issued Wednesday by the Biden administration, but the rules would apply only to for-profit colleges and a tiny fraction of programs at traditional universities.The Education Department is calling it a significant step toward accountability for the nation’s colleges. With more students questioning the value of a degree, the measure aims to weed out low-performing programs and assure students the cost of tuition will pay off in the long run.“The rules proposed today are about helping ensure that when students invest in a postsecondary education, they get a solid return on investment and a greater shot at the American dream,” Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said in a statement.Opponents, however, say the scope is too narrow to help most students.Known as gainful employment, it revives an Obama-era policy that was dismantled by the Trump admi...

1,100-year-old Hebrew Bible sells for $38 million at NYC auction

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:02:29 GMT

1,100-year-old Hebrew Bible sells for $38 million at NYC auction NEW YORK (AP) — A 1,100-year-old Hebrew Bible that is one of the world’s oldest surviving biblical manuscripts sold for $38 million in New York on Wednesday.The Codex Sassoon, a leather-bound, handwritten parchment volume containing a nearly complete Hebrew Bible, was purchased by former U.S. Ambassador to Romania Alfred H. Moses on behalf of the American Friends of ANU and donated to ANU Museum of the Jewish People in Tel Aviv, where it will join the collection, Sotheby’s said in statement.The manuscript was exhibited at the ANU Museum in March as part of a worldwide tour before the auction.Sotheby’s Judaica specialist Sharon Liberman Mintz said the $38 million price tag, which includes the auction house’s fee, “reflects the profound power, influence, and significance of the Hebrew Bible, which is an indispensable pillar of humanity.”It’s one of highest prices for a manuscript sold at auction. In 2021, a rare copy of the U.S. constitution sold for $43 ...

UN envoy cautiously optimistic Yemen’s warring parties will resume UN-led negotiations

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:02:29 GMT

UN envoy cautiously optimistic Yemen’s warring parties will resume UN-led negotiations UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. envoy for Yemen expressed “cautious optimism” Wednesday that the country’s warring parties will return to U.N.-led negotiations to end their deadly eight-year conflict. Hans Grundberg told the U.N. Security Council he is confident last month’s prisoner releases agreed to by the government and rival Houthi rebels will “build further confidence between the parties” and support an environment conducive for dialogue.The conflict has claimed thousands of lives and further impoverished the Arab world’s poorest nation.Grundberg said he was encouraged by positive and detailed discussions he had recently with officials from the government and the rebels, as well as with senior regional and Yemeni officials in Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh and the United Arab Emirates capital Abu Dhabi, and with senior U.S. officials in Washington.The parties “demonstrated an understanding of the immensity of what is at stake and displayed willingness to constructively engage on...

Spieth says wrist is feeling good enough to play ‘nasty’ Oak Hill

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:02:29 GMT

Spieth says wrist is feeling good enough to play ‘nasty’ Oak Hill PITTSFORD, N.Y. (AP) — Jordan Spieth finished nine holes of practice at Oak Hill on Wednesday and said his left wrist felt good enough to play in the PGA Championship, and good enough that he’s won’t rule out his chances of a career Grand Slam.That’s a big leap from a week ago, when he wasn’t sure he could make it to New York.“I wouldn’t play if I didn’t think I was in good enough shape to play,” he said after playing the front nine with Justin Thomas and Tom Kim. “I just don’t have the reps I’d like to have going into a major. But I’m happy I’m able to play because I surely didn’t think that a week ago.”Spieth missed the cut at the Wells Fargo Championship and then withdrew from his hometown AT&T Byron Nelson in the Dallas area because of a wrist injury that required rest.He did not say how he injured his wrist, calling it random, but that it was on the ulnar side. His left wrist is taped, with kinesiology tape r...

What’s pitch tipping, what’s sign stealing, and when are they illegal?

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:02:29 GMT

What’s pitch tipping, what’s sign stealing, and when are they illegal? Start with a couple sideways glances by New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge toward the first-base line.Mix in a massive 462-foot homer a couple pitches later.And voila! Major League Baseball has its latest cheating controversy.The latest kerfuffle started on Monday, when cameras caught Judge oddly diverting his eyes away from the pitcher just before smashing a long homer against Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Jay Jackson. The Blue Jays weren’t happy.“It’s kind of odd that a hitter would be looking in that direction,” Toronto manager John Schneider said.Jackson — demoted to Triple-A a day later — has since said he believes he was tipping pitches during the Judge at-bat. He thought a Yankees coach could tell what pitch he was about to throw and was signaling that info to Judge before the pitch was delivered.Even if that’s true, though, the Yankees weren’t necessarily cheating.There is no prohibition on teammates or coaches using the naked eye to study pitchers and r...