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Humanity just lived through the hottest 12 months in at least 125,000 years

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:25 GMT

(CNN) — Month after month since June, the world has been abnormally hot. Scientists have compared this year’s climate-change fallout to “a disaster movie” — soaring temperatures, fierce wildfires, powerful storms and devastating floods — and new data is now revealing just how exceptional the global heat has been.Two major reports published this week paint an alarming picture of this unprecedented heat: Humanity has just lived through the hottest 12-month period in at least 125,000 years, according to one, while the other declared that 2023 is “virtually certain” to be the hottest year in recorded history, after five consecutive months of record-obliterating temperatures.“We have become all too used to climate records falling like dominoes in recent years,” David Reay, executive director of the Edinburgh Climate Change Institute at the University of Edinburgh, told CNN. “But 2023 is a whole different ball game in terms of the massive ...

Should Red Sox make deal with the devil? Why trade with Yankees makes sense

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:25 GMT

Throughout their history the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees have rarely done business together, and why would they? As two of the fiercest rivals in professional sports the clubs have always striven to beat the other, so there’s rarely been an incentive to do anything that might help give the other an edge.That’s a big part of why the clubs have only swung seven trades with each other since 1969, according to MLB.com, but this offseason there may be a deal on the table so tantalizing it could be hard for either side to pass up.According to WEEI’s Rob Bradford, the Red Sox have identified Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres as a potential trade target and that the Yankees are interested in Red Sox outfielder Alex Verdugo. Whether any extensive discussions between new Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow and his Yankees counterpart Brian Cashman have taken place is unclear, but a swap would make a lot of sense for a variety of reasons.From the Red Sox ...

Shaun Wade ‘worthy of more opportunities’ with Patriots

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:25 GMT

FOXBORO — There’s been little clarity over the status of Patriots cornerbacks in the last week, but one thing is apparent as the team flies to Germany: little-known defensive back Shaun Wade should be taking on a bigger role Sunday against the Colts in Germany.Wade, a Ravens 2021 fifth-round pick out of Ohio State, started last Sunday’s loss to the Commanders over J.C. Jackson and Jack Jones, both of whom missed curfew to the team hotel Saturday. Jackson took over for Wade on the Patriots’ third defensive series, and Jones began to rotate into the defense starting in the second quarter. Wade barely played after the first two defensive drives.Jackson now won’t travel with the team to Germany this week over a lack of dependability. That will leave the Patriots with Wade, Jack Jones, Jonathan Jones, Myles Bryant and the newly signed Alex Austin at cornerback on the 53-man roster.“It’s going to be a bigger role no matter what happens,” Wad...

White House says Israel agrees to 4-hour daily pauses in N Gaza fighting to allow civilians to flee

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:25 GMT

AAMER MADHANI ZEKE MILLER JOSH BOAKWASHINGTON (AP) — The White House said Israel has agreed to put in place four-hour daily humanitarian pauses in its assault on Hamas in norther Gaza starting on Thursday, as the Biden administration said it has secured a second pathway for civilians to flee fighting. President Joe Biden had asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to institute the daily pauses during a Monday call. U.S. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said that the first humanitarian pause would be announced Thursday and that the Israelis had committed to announcing each four-hour window at least three hours in advance.Biden also told reporters that he had asked the Israelis for a “pause longer than three days” during negotiations over the release of some hostages held by Hamas, though he ruled out the chances of a general cease-fire.

‘It’s not a well-rounded club.’ Chris Getz gives a frank assessment of Chicago White Sox — and more from the GM meetings.

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:25 GMT

General manager Chris Getz gave a frank assessment of the Chicago White Sox in the aftermath of a 101-loss season.“We have a talented group, there is no question,” Getz said Tuesday during the MLB general managers meetings at a resort in Paradise Valley, Ariz. “I don’t like our team, and we have to make some adjustments to improve in 2024.“When I say ‘I don’t like our team,’ we’ve got pieces that are talented and attractive and they can be part of a winning club, but obviously we haven’t gone out there and performed. It’s not a well-rounded club right now and so we’ve got to find players to come in here and help get us in the right direction.”Manager Pedro Grifol echoed Getz’s sentiments during a video conference call Tuesday.“When we talk about team, it’s not about one guy or two or five, it’s about 26 guys really loving to play with each other when that bell rings, and we didnR...

Column: With Justin Fields still sidelined, time is running out to make a case he’s the Chicago Bears QB of the future

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:25 GMT

Perhaps if the Chicago Bears were not in the Thursday night national television slot for the second time in five weeks, Justin Fields would have been able to give it a go against the Carolina Panthers.But coach Matt Eberflus announced undrafted rookie Tyson Bagent will make his fourth consecutive start, saying Fields is not medically cleared to return from a dislocated right thumb after another limited practice session Wednesday.It’s a shame because the last time Fields was in prime time, he threw four touchdown passes and accounted for 339 yards in a 40-20 drubbing of the Washington Commanders at FedEx Field. That effort came a week after Fields also threw four touchdown passes in a loss to the Denver Broncos, becoming the first quarterback in franchise history to do that in consecutive games. Those eight TD passes account for nearly 23% of Fields’ career total.It’s a solid bet Fields will return for the Nov. 19 NFC North game at Ford Field against the Detroit Lio...

3 takeaways from the Chicago Cubs at the GM meetings, including what rotation will look like after Marcus Stroman’s opt-out

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:25 GMT

The annual MLB general managers meetings lay the groundwork for the rest of the offseason.The Chicago Cubs’ unexpected hiring of manager Craig Counsell added a wrinkle to what should have been an otherwise normal beginning to free agency. But it didn’t change the mission this week for President Jed Hoyer and the Cubs front office: getting an early feel for the free-agent market, the trade landscape and meeting with agents, including Scott Boras.As the Cubs prepare to formally introduce Counsell next week, here are three takeaways from the GM meetings.1. Craig Counsell’s departure to rival a surprise for Brewers GM.Thirty-six hours after the Chicago Cubs named Craig Counsell their manager, Brewers general manager Matt Arnold stated he was surprised by Counsell leaving Milwaukee for a division rival but still spoke highly of his friend.“From our perspective, it’s always been about people, that’s something Craig and I talked about a lot after working...

Eng lays out plan to eliminate MBTA slow zones by end of 2024

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:25 GMT

Taking aim at an issue that has plagued service for eight months, MBTA General Manager Phil Eng on Thursday rolled out a comprehensive plan to repair tracks across the system and lift all speed restrictions by the end of 2024.The proposal would deploy nearly two dozen multi-day closures of segments on each of the four subway lines over the next 13 months, ranging in duration from four days to 21 days.Implementing that many closures would represent an unprecedented level of disruption, but it also reflects far more advance notice than MBTA officials have provided to riders in recent years and puts an estimated endpoint on the stretches of slow travel that have hamstrung travel.Altogether, the plan involves 19 days of proposed diversions in November and December, then 188 days of proposed diversions in 2024 to lift all speed restrictions that currently blanket about 23% of the system. MBTA modeling estimates that work would eliminate a total of 86 minutes of current delays across all ...

As NFL fines mount, Ravens players join chorus of frustration with how league determines punishment

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:25 GMT

Patrick Ricard’s wallet could soon be $21,694 lighter.That’s the amount the Ravens’ veteran fullback was fined for unnecessary roughness two weeks ago for what looked to be a routine block on Cardinals middle linebacker Kyzir White as he helped clear the way up the middle for a 5-yard run by Gus Edwards near the Arizona goal line in the second quarter.It’s also what he says is “the cost of doing business” in the NFL these days, though he isn’t happy about it.“I’m trying to make my block. We’re on the 5-yard line,” Ricard said Sunday after the Ravens’ win over the Seahawks. “I’m going to do everything I can to make sure that my guy doesn’t make the play and I drive him backward. If my head gets involved, it gets involved.”Ricard said he is appealing the fine. His case will be assigned to one of the league’s two appeals officers, former linebacker Derrick Brooks or former wide receive...

Did you see it? Venus and the crescent moon levitate over San Diego

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:25 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- The waning crescent moon accompanied by a bright Venus could be seen levitating over the San Diego region early Thursday morning.For those who rise before dawn, this celestial attraction could be received as an award for beating the sun to a new day.The moon and Venus hung about one-quarter of the way up into atmosphere as seen from Earth around 5 a.m., however, visibility of the pairing started around 3 a.m. across North America. Now that clocks are turned back, what time is sunset in San Diego? According to space.com, an online publication focused on astronomy and skywatching, the waning crescent moon was 15% illuminated by the sun during that time. Sitting less than a degree to its right, space.com explained that Venus was "'blazing at magnitude -4.4 or 15 times brighter than Sirius" -- the brightest star in the night sky. Some morning commuters may have even been able to see what painter Leonardo da Vinci described as "the old moon in the young moon's arms." Also...