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Rockies host the Cubs in first of 3-game series

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:39:36 GMT

Chicago Cubs (77-67, second in the NL Central) vs. Colorado Rockies (51-91, fifth in the NL West)Denver; Monday, 8:40 p.m. EDTPITCHING PROBABLES: Cubs: Jordan Wicks (3-0, 2.16 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 13 strikeouts); Rockies: Kyle Freeland (6-14, 5.09 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 91 strikeouts)FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Cubs -178, Rockies +150; over/under is 11 1/2 runsBOTTOM LINE: The Colorado Rockies host the Chicago Cubs to open a three-game series.Colorado has gone 29-38 at home and 51-91 overall. The Rockies have a 28-80 record in games when they have given up a home run.Chicago is 77-67 overall and 36-33 in road games. The Cubs have a 37-17 record in games when they hit two or more home runs.Monday’s game is the first meeting between these teams this season.TOP PERFORMERS: Ryan McMahon has 29 doubles, three triples and 22 home runs for the Rockies. Nolan Jones is 13-for-38 with four doubles, two triples, two home runs and nine RBI over the last 10 games.Ian Happ has 30 doubles, three triple...

Nationals visit the Pirates to begin 4-game series

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:39:36 GMT

Washington Nationals (64-79, fifth in the NL East) vs. Pittsburgh Pirates (66-77, fourth in the NL Central)Pittsburgh; Monday, 6:35 p.m. EDTPITCHING PROBABLES: Nationals: Patrick Corbin (0-0); Pirates: TBDFANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Pirates -125, Nationals +105; over/under is 8 1/2 runsBOTTOM LINE: The Pittsburgh Pirates host the Washington Nationals on Monday to start a four-game series.Pittsburgh has a 66-77 record overall and a 34-37 record at home. The Pirates are 42-10 in games when they scored five or more runs.Washington has a 64-79 record overall and a 33-36 record on the road. The Nationals are 46-15 in games when they out-hit their opponents.The teams meet Monday for the fourth time this season.TOP PERFORMERS: Jack Suwinski has 19 doubles, a triple and 24 home runs for the Pirates. Ke’Bryan Hayes is 10-for-41 with two doubles, a triple and three home runs over the last 10 games.Lane Thomas leads Washington with 24 home runs while slugging .484. C.J. Abrams is 10-for...

Brewers host the Marlins to open 4-game series

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:39:36 GMT

Miami Marlins (74-69, third in the NL East) vs. Milwaukee Brewers (79-63, first in the NL Central)Milwaukee; Monday, 7:40 p.m. EDTPITCHING PROBABLES: Marlins: Jesus Luzardo (9-8, 3.77 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 181 strikeouts); Brewers: Brandon Woodruff (4-1, 2.30 ERA, .79 WHIP, 55 strikeouts)FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Brewers -161, Marlins +136; over/under is 7 1/2 runsBOTTOM LINE: The Milwaukee Brewers open a four-game series at home against the Miami Marlins on Monday.Milwaukee has a 40-28 record in home games and a 79-63 record overall. The Brewers are 57-10 in games when they scored five or more runs.Miami has a 34-37 record in road games and a 74-69 record overall. The Marlins have gone 55-34 in games when they record at least eight hits.Monday’s game is the first time these teams square off this season.TOP PERFORMERS: Christian Yelich has 31 doubles, two triples, 17 home runs and 71 RBI for the Brewers. Willy Adames is 6-for-36 with a double, a triple, three home runs and 10 RBI...

Mets take on the Diamondbacks in first of 4-game series

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:39:36 GMT

Arizona Diamondbacks (75-69, second in the NL West) vs. New York Mets (65-77, fourth in the NL East)New York; Monday, 7:10 p.m. EDTPITCHING PROBABLES: Diamondbacks: Zach Davies (2-5, 6.81 ERA, 1.60 WHIP, 59 strikeouts); Mets: Jose Quintana (2-5, 3.00 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 39 strikeouts)FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Mets -142, Diamondbacks +121; over/under is 9 runsBOTTOM LINE: The New York Mets host the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday to begin a four-game series.New York has gone 35-33 in home games and 65-77 overall. The Mets have gone 27-12 in games when they did not give up a home run.Arizona has a 37-34 record in road games and a 75-69 record overall. The Diamondbacks have the eighth-ranked team on-base percentage in the NL at .323.Monday’s game is the fourth time these teams meet this season.TOP PERFORMERS: Pete Alonso has 16 doubles, two triples, 43 home runs and 103 RBI for the Mets. DJ Stewart is 10-for-37 with two doubles, five home runs and 12 RBI over the last 10 games.Corb...

Ukraine needs to do more to fight corruption, Germany’s Baerbock says

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:39:36 GMT

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Monday called on Ukraine to step up its efforts to fight corruption during a surprise visit to Kyiv.Ukraine “still [has] a way to go in the implementation of the anti-oligarch law and the fight against corruption,” Baerbock said on arrival in the Ukrainian capital, the German foreign ministry said in a statement.The German minister praised Kyiv’s “impressive” progress on judicial reforms and media legislation — completed even as Ukraine has spent the last 18 months fending off Russian President Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion, which has cost thousands of lives. Baerbock also reassured Kyiv that it would get Berlin’s “decisive support” for its European Union bid.“We as the EU must now work quickly to ensure that we are properly positioned for more chairs at the table,” Baerbock said.Ukraine, which was granted EU candidate status in June 2022, aims to join the ...

EU Commission revises eurozone growth forecast down

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:39:36 GMT

The eurozone economy is set to slow down 0.8 percent this year and 1.3 percent in 2024, the European Commission said on Monday in its updated forecast — a downward revision of 0.3 percentage points compared to May estimates.A fall in consumption, banks’ tighter lending conditions as a result of higher interest rates, the economic slowdown in China and related slump in exports all mean that the single currency area is winding down its engines, the EU executive said.“While we avoided a recession last winter, the multiple headwinds facing the EU economy this year have led to somewhat weaker growth momentum than we projected in the spring,” EU Economy Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni said on Monday in a press conference. Out of the six largest EU countries for which the Commission updated growth estimates on Monday, Germany is the only one set to contract this year — by -0.4 percent — before returning to growth of 1.1 percent next year. France and Spain see a small uptick ...

Motorcyclist dead after overnight crash in Vaughan

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:39:36 GMT

A man is dead after the motorcycle he was riding collided with a car in Vaughan early Monday morning.Police in York Region tell CityNews they responded to a crash at Highway 7 and Jane Street just after midnight.Police say a man was sent flying off his motorcycle after colliding with a car. The bike burst into flames shortly after the crash.The male motorcyclist was pronounced dead at the scene.The vehicles involved remained at the scene, according to police.Roads were closed in the area but they have since reopened. The Investigation is ongoing.

UK resists calls to label China a threat following claims a Beijing spy worked in Parliament

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:39:36 GMT

LONDON (AP) — The British government on Monday resisted calls to label China a threat to the U.K. following the revelation that a researcher in Parliament was arrested earlier this year on suspicion of spying for Beijing.U.K. Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch said Britain should avoid calling China a “foe” or using language that could “escalate” tensions.“China is a country that we do a lot of business with,” Badenoch told Sky News. “China is a country that is significant in terms of world economics. It sits on the U.N. Security Council. We certainly should not be describing China as a foe, but we can describe it as a challenge.”Tensions between Britain and China have risen in recent years over accusations of economic subterfuge, human rights abuses and Beijing’s crackdown on civil liberties in the former British colony of Hong Kong.Britain’s governing Conservatives are divided on how tough a line to take and on how much access Chinese firms should have to the U.K. economy. More hawk...

Europe’s economic outlook falls as high prices plague consumer spending

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:39:36 GMT

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — The European Union has lowered its forecast for economic growth this year and next, saying inflation is taking a heavy toll on people’s willingness to spend in shops — while higher interest rates are sharply restricting the credit needed for investment and purchases. The revised forecast Monday from the European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, comes as fears of recession grow and as the European Central Bank faces a key decision this week on whether to keep raising rates, which are aimed at getting inflation under control.The 20 countries that use the euro currency are expected to see growth of 0.8% this year instead of 1.1% projected in the spring forecast, the commission said. For next year, growth expectations were lowered to 1.3% from 1.6%.“Weakness in domestic demand, in particular consumption, shows that high and still increasing consumer prices for most goods and services are taking a heavier toll than expected,” a commission st...

India and Saudi Arabia agree to expand economic and security ties after the G20 summit

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:39:36 GMT

NEW DELHI (AP) — India and Saudi Arabia agreed Monday to expand trade and security ties, two days after their leaders and others attending a Group of 20 summit announced a new railways and port corridor deal that will link India, Middle East and Europe.Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met in New Delhi and chaired a meeting of the India-Saudi Arabia Strategic Partnership Council. The two leaders discussed issues ranging from energy security, trade and investment to defense, health care and food security, India’s foreign ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said.The India-Saudi Arabia Strategic Partnership Council, established in 2019, serves as a platform between the two countries to increase ties.During last week’s G20 summit, India, Saudi Arabia, the United States, the European Union and other countries announced an ambitious rail and shipping corridor that will link India with the Middle East and Europe in a bid to stren...